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W.  S.  WILLIAMS 


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THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE  PROBLEM   OF 
THE    UNEMPLOYED 


BY 


REV.  W.  S.  WILLIAMS,  M.  D. 


BOSTON:  THE  GORHAM  PRESS 

TORONTO:     THE    COPP    CLARK    CO.,   LIMITED 


Copyright,  1917,  by  W.  S.  Williams,  M.  D. 


All    Rigrhts    Reserved 


made  in  the  united  states  of  america 
The  Gorham    Press.    Boston    U.   S.   a. 


PREFACE 

The  following  essay  has  been  written  under  a 
deep  sense  of  the  need  of  an  honest  effort  at  reduc- 
ing if  not  abolishing  the  commercial  and  social  cess- 
pool of  our  age — unemployment.  In  this  decade, 
when  national  ideals  are  taking  a  new  and  higher 
form,  Unemployment,  as  a  "problem  of  industry," 
should  yield  to  the  higher  industrial  and  social 
righteousness.  We  desire  to  acknowledge  our  in- 
debtedness to  Dr.  Josiah  Strong,  of  New  York; 
Mr.  A.  C.  Pigou,  Mr.  Percy  Alden,  M.  P. ;  and 
Mr.  W.  H.  Beveridge,  of  England,  whose  writ- 
ings have  greatly  helped  the  writer  to  arrive  at 
definite  conclusions. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


1458366 


CONTENTS 

I.  Statement  of  the  Case 9 

II.  Definitions  and  Divisions 14 

III.  Extent  and  Seriousness  of  Condition.  .  21 

IV.  Causes  or  Why  the  Unemployed 30 

V.  How  the  Problem  has  been  Treated.  .  .  74 

VI.  Solution  of  the  Problem 81 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  THE  UNEMPLOYED 


The 
Problem  of  the    Unemployed 

I 

STATEMENT  OF  THE  CASE 

TN  turning  to  our  Dictionaries,  for  the  ex- 
act meaning  of  the  word  problem,  we  find 
this  definition— "A  matter  of  uncertainty,  re- 
quiring further  light  to  determine  the  truth, 
especially  when  difficult  or  uncertain  of  solu- 
tion." Every  unbiased,  well  informed  reader  will 
know  that  all  the  elements  of  "uncertainty"  are 
here,  and  thus  our  subject  can  be  justly  called  a 
Problem.  This  you  will  further  see  in  the  fact 
that  even  the  best  writers,  the  most  exact  in  the  use 
of  words,  are  not  able  to  speak  of  the  unemployed, 
and  unemployment  in  the  same  terms.  Thus  there 
must  be  something  in  the  subject  that  is  hazy,  even 
for  clear  thinkers. 

The  answers  to  the  question — "What  constitutes 
the  unemployed  and  unemployment,  the  problem  it 
is?"  are  as  varied,  as  the  minds  that  have  offered  a 
solution.  The  problem  is  a  product  of  many  and 
Infinitely  various  forces;  some  economic,  others  per- 
sonal, some  transient,  others  persistent  and  statlon- 

9 


lO  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

ary;  some  superficial;  others  deeply  rooted  in  the 
social  and  industrial  fabrics.  On  the  one  hand  you 
will  find  it  stated  that  it  is  a  problem  of  progress. 
On  the  other,  it  is  definitely  stated,  that  the  labor 
problem,  is  made  so,  because  it  aims  at  improving 
the  conditions  of  the  wage-earning  classes.  It  can- 
not be  denied,  and  looking  on  this  vast  question 
from  an  economic  standpoint,  but  that  the  genu- 
inely unemployed  are  as  they  are,  because  of  the 
maladjustment  between  the  supply  of  labor  and  its 
demands.  Whoever  approaches  this  question  with 
the  preoccupation,  that  any  man  who  wants  work 
can  get  it — will  never  arrive  at  any  solution  of  the 
subject.  True,  on  all  hands,  you  will  hear  the  ques- 
tion asked,  "Why  is  the  man  unemployed?"  But 
the  asking  of  the  question  does  not  solve  the  prob- 
lem. The  answer  to  the  question  by  a  labor  econ- 
omist will  be^ — that  the  enforced  idleness  of  the  man 
points,  either  to  defect  in  himself,  or  to  an  excess 
of  the  supply  of  labor  over  its  demand.  Ten  to  one 
it  is  this  latter.  Then  in  this  light,  and  if,  this  is 
all,  the  way  to  solve  the  problem  is  to  adjust  this 
demand.  As  this  is  the  maladjustment  of  industry, 
then  correct  and  improve  industry  Itself.  We  wish 
the  problem  so  easy  of  solution. 

The  problem  of  the  unemployed  is  the  problem 
of  all  civilized  communities,  but  especially  of  all 
manufacturing  countries.  Then  we  must  remem- 
ber, the  problem  is  not  a  transitory,  but  a  perma- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  1 1 

nent  one.  Its  seriousness  will  be  modified  only, 
as  the  causes  are  removed.  The  point  is  this,  and 
this  is  the  crux  of  the  whole  question — how  can  an 
honest  workman  be  provided  with  work  that  will 
meet  the  simple  requirements  of  himself  and  his 
family.  It  is  easier  said  than  done — "remove  the 
cause."  When  we  face  this  crux,  we  are  appalled 
with  the  vastness  of  the  problem.  From  the  nature 
of  the  problem  thus  revealed,  we  find  that  all  the 
social  and  economic  problems  are  mixed  with  the 
one  considered.  The  condition  of  the  unemployed 
as  a  rule  is  the  product  of  many,  and  infinitely  vari- 
ous forces, — some  economic;  others  personal;  some 
transient;  others  persistent;  some  superficial,  others 
deeply  rooted  in  the  social  and  economic  fabrics. 
No  question  the  problem  of  the  unemployed  is 
caused  primarily  by  the  state  of  society,  thus  the 
question  becomes  a  serious  social  one.  Between  un- 
employment and  the  social  fabric  there  is  a  very 
close,  and  sensitive  relation.  Such  a  condition  then, 
at  once,  points  to  a  radical  defect  in  our  Social  Sys- 
tem. This  defect  is  seen  in  various  relations.  The 
easiest  to  be  seen  is  that  society  has  no  ability,  and 
if  it  has,  it  has  not  used  it,  to  organize  and  co-ordi- 
nate the  wealth  producing  power  of  the  country  to 
remedy  one  of  the  most  serious  evils.  Mr.  Charles 
Booth  of  London  (England) ,  after  a  careful  study 
of  the  subject  made  this  declaration,  "Our  modern 
system  of  industry  will  not  work  without  some  un- 


12  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

employed  margin,  some  reserve  of  labor."  Mr. 
Booth  is  not  the  only  one  in  such  a  belief.  Wheth- 
er this  is  true  from  an  industrial  standpoint,  surely 
enlightened  and  Christianized  social  conditions  will, 
and  should  not  stand  for  the  subjection  of  a  large 
section  of  citizens  to  be  nothing  better  than  the 
slaves  of  the  minority  of  the  citizens,  in  the  same 
country?  Fluctuations  and  other  changes  in  busi- 
ness, may  call  for  a  nominal  reserve,  in  a  transitory 
state,  but  not  the  vast  army  of  unemployed,  we  have 
today.  Take  away  from  employers  of  labor  their 
selfish  purpose  in  their  business,  and  this  problem 
is  far  on  the  way  of  solution.  In  God's  world,  no 
man  has  a  right  to  hold  his  brother  in  conditions 
that  he  desires  not  for  himself.  Take  another  view 
— if  unemployment  is  necessary  to  our  economic 
system,  the  system  itself  should  be  quickly  changed. 
The  fact  is  palpable,  that  the  large  number  of  un- 
employed exists  not  because  of  the  nature  of  our 
economic  system  per  se,  but  is  largely  the  result  of 
economic  disorder. 

And  whatever  else  it  is, — certainly,  it  is  a  prob- 
lem of  applied  religion.  It  is  high  time  the  ethics 
of  Jesus,  should  be  applied  in  their  larger  meaning 
to  industry  and  economics.  It  is  not  now  our  pur- 
pose to  enter  into  the  extent  of  the  problem,  we  here 
will  only  refer  to  the  increasing  number  of  unem- 
ployed, as  an  argument  for  the  urgency  and  per- 
plexing condition  of  the  unemployed  as  a  demand 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  13 

for  immediate  action.  It  is  not  a  want  to  be  satis- 
fied, but  a  disease  to  be  eradicated.  It  has  to  be 
faced  with  serious  thought,  and  determination. 
First  of  all,  we  must  be  convinced,  the  problem 
can  be  solved.  It  is  not  a  failure  of  existing  social 
conditions,  nor  an  entire  collapse  of  our  economic 
fabric.  And  in  solving  this  problem,  we  must  be 
prepared  to  forego  certain  previous  industrial 
methods  and  customs.  It  is  very  gratifying  to  be 
convinced,  that  in  society  there  is  a  growth  of  a 
sense  of  responsibility  for  the  unemployed.  There 
is  also  a  demand  for  a  more  correct,  and  a  fuller  in- 
formation on  the  subject.  The  crude  ideas  of  the 
past,  are  being  forced  out  of  men's  minds.  They 
are  convinced  that  the  county  (poor)  house,  the 
doling  of  charity,  is  not  a  cure.  Men  are  getting- 
scientific  in  demanding  the  history  of  the  case,  and 
its  true  diagnosis,  and  they  are  ready  to  abide  by 
the  results. 


II 

DEFINITIONS  AND  DIVISIONS 

'  I  'HE  same  indefiniteness,  or  lack  of  care  in  mak- 
ing distinctions,  is  found  in  connection  with  this 
part  of  our  subject.  Men  cannot  be  classified  as  un- 
employed, simply  because  they  are  for  a  certain 
time  idle.  Idleness  and  unemployment,  are  not  al- 
ways correlated  terms.  In  our  Western  civiliza- 
tion, we  have  been  unfortunate  in  substituting  for 
the  Eastern  Caste,  class  distinction,  which  has  been 
carried  too  far.  Now  a  belief  has  grown  that  a 
man  cannot  pass  from  one  class  to  the  other.  The 
current  phrase,  "Once  a  wage  earner,  always  a 
wage  earner,"  should  be  dropt.  It  is  the  mistaken 
ideas  as  to  these  classes,  that  has  caused  such  a 
vagueness  in  certain  literature,  as  to  who  are  the 
unemployed.  The  importance  of  a  clear  distinction 
as  to  who  constitutes  the  unemployed  class  is  well 
brought  out  by  Mr.  John  Burns,  a  labor  leader  of 
England.  He  thus  writes,  "In  spite  of  some  advo- 
cates of  work  for  the  unemployed,  I  may  say,  I  con- 
tend as  a  Socialist,  that  until  the  differentiation  of 
the  laborer  from  the  loafer  takes  place,  the  unem- 
ployed question  can  never  be  properly  discussed, 
and  dealt  with.     Till  the  tramp,  thief,  and  ne'er- 

14 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  15 

do-well,  however  pitiable  he  may  be,  is  dealt  with 
distinctly  from  the  genuine  worker,  no  permanent 
benefit  will  result  to  any  of  them.  The  gentleman 
who  gets  up  to  look  for  work  at  mid-day,  and  prays 
that  he  may  not  find  it,  is  undeserving  of  pity."  Oth- 
er men  as  capable  to  judge,  and  not  lacking  in  char- 
ity, state  amongst  the  unemployed,  are  a  large  num- 
ber of  inefficient  and  worthless  men,  whose  services 
economically  are  not  wanted.  But  again,  let  us  con- 
sider, to  what  is  due  the  inefficiency  of  the  incompe- 
tents? Mr.  Charles  Booth,  helps  to  answer  the 
question  when  he  says — "The  irregularity  Immedi- 
ately resulting  from  fluctuation  in  demand,  the  sea- 
sons and  other  causes  quoted.  Is  a  sufficiently  serious 
evil  in  itself,  but  other  results  as  serious,  if  not  more 
so,  follow  in  Its  track.  Casual  employment  Is  found 
almost  Invariably  to  Involve  deterioration  in  both 
physique  and  character.  The  hopeless  hand-to- 
mouth  kind  of  existence  Is  .  .  .  least  condu- 
cive to  thrift,  self-reliance  Is  weakened,  and  habits 
of  idleness,  unsteadiness,  and  intemperance  (are) 
formed."  And  the  second  generation  suffers  more. 
Now  in  classifying  the  unemployed.  It  Is  well  to  re- 
member, such  facts  and  conditions.  Unemploy- 
ment, no  question,  may  be,  and  Is,  a  part  of  Indus- 
trial competition,  and  as  long  as  this  condition,  un- 
der the  present  system,  lasts,  there  will  be  unem- 
ployed. Two  questions  meet  us  here, —  ( i )  Is  every 
one  who  Is  unemployed  at  any  time,  whether  by 


1 6  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

sickness,  or  some  other  cause,  to  be  reckoned  as 
among  the  unemployed?  (2)  Are  those  who  do 
not  want  to  work  to  be  considered  as  among  the 
unemployed?  Unemployment  is  hard  to  define  be- 
cause so  many  varied  conditions  enter  into  the  sub- 
ject, and  the  various  classes  who  are  not  constant 
workers,  at  times  are  employed,  and  so  are  consid- 
ered workers.  The  public  speak  of  the  unemployed 
as  those  who  are  not  occupied  the  full  day,  though 
tiiey  may  be  employed  part  of  the  day.  The  Brit- 
ish National  Insurance  Act  basis  its  calculations, 
and  idea  of  unemployment  on  the  hours  occupied  in 
labor.  This  act  looks  on  a  man  as  unemployed 
when  he  cannot  obtain  the  work  he  desires,"  (i) 
otherwise  than  in  a  situation  vacant  on  account  of 
a  stoppage  of  work  due  to  an  industrial  dispute, 
(2)  "in  the  district  where  he  (workman)  was  last 
ordinarily  employed,  otherwise  than  at  a  rate  low- 
er, or  on  conditions  less  favorable,  than  those  which 
he  habitually  obtained  in  his  usual  employment  in 
that  district,  or  would  have  obtained  had  he  con- 
tinued to  be  so  employed,  (3)  in  any  other  dis- 
trict, otherwise  than  at  a  rate  of  wage  lower,  or  on 
conditions  less  favorable  than  those  generally  ob- 
tained in  such  district  by  agreement  between  asso- 
ciations of  employers  and  of  workmen,  or,  failing 
any  such  agreement,  than  those  generally  recog- 
nized in  such  district  by  good  employers."  Mr. 
Carroll  D.  Wright   (1886)    stated,   "The  unem- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  17 

ployed  are  those  who  under  prosperous  times 
would  be  fully  employed,  and  who  during  the  time 
mentioned,  were  seeking  employment."  This  defi- 
nition greatly  reduces  the  number  of  the  unem- 
ployed. In  justice  to  all,  the  partially  employed 
should  be  added  to  the  above.  Some  think  the 
term  unemployed  designate  those  who  do  not  get 
remunerative  work.  These  would  embrace  those 
who  work  from  quarter  to  half  their  time.  Then 
there  are  the  respectable  poor  who  do  not  make 
known  their  condition,  but  who  suffer  because 
of  under-employment.  Through  its  Poor  Law 
Commissions,  England  has  reduced  the  number  of 
the  unemployed.  This  is  done  by  making  a  special 
provision  to  care  for  what  is  known  as  the  depend- 
able classes.  These  are  taken  out  of  the  unem- 
ployed class.  These  classes  are,  the  aged,  feeble- 
minded, and  the  immature.  England  then,  knows, 
as  unemployed  only,  ( i )  Men  from  permanent 
institutions  who  may  be  idle.  (2)  Men  from  dis- 
continuous employment.  (3)  The  underem- 
ployed. (4)  The  unemployables.  In  the  report 
of  the  Minority  of  the  Poor  Law  Commission  to 
the  British  Parliament  (1909)  we  find,  in  order 
to  deal  adequately  with  the  problem  of  the  unem- 
ployed, they  insist  that  ( i )  "the  aged,  the  sick, 
feeble-minded,  the  immature  youth,  who  take  the 
place  of  the  experienced  and  drive  them 
to   forced    inactivity,   must  be    entirely    removed 


1 8  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

from  the  Labor  Market,  and  be  provided  for,  by 
the  authorities.  Taking  a  broad  view  of  the  unem- 
ployed they  appear  as  being  such  from  two  causes, 
(i)  From  industrial  maladjustment.  (2)  Those 
who,  from  various  causes  are  inefficient.  These 
points  cover  the  employer  and  the  employee.  The 
following  division  gives  a  very  workable  basis  to 
get  at  the  unemployed. 

( 1 )  Unskilled  laborers,  physically  and  morally 
unable  to  work  steady,  for  a  continuous  period.  No 
law  is  known  that  can  rule  out  these  people  from  the 
ranks  of  the  unemployed — they  are  there. 

(2)  The  Actually  Unemployables,  who  though 
obtaining  odd  jobs  yet  are  more  at  home  in  loafing, 
and  watching  for  charity  doles,  and  breadlines. 
Government  no  question,  should  take  this  class  in 
hand,  and  deal  with  them  by  the  only  measures  that 
will  be  of  value.  Thus  the  ranks  of  the  truly  unem- 
ployed will  be  weeded  out,  and  thus  the  problem 
will  be  made  easier  to  solve. 

(3)  Efficient  Workmen  unemployed  by  pro- 
longed depression  of  trade,  from  the  many  differ- 
ent causes  that  prevail. 

(4)  Skilled  and  Efficient  Workmen  temporar- 
ily, out  of  employment,  owing  to  seasonal  or  unfor- 
seen  stoppage  of  work,  or  some  disturbance  in  the 
normal  condition  of  the  trade.  Even  in  our  unsat- 
isfactory state  as  to  the  unemployed,  these  two  last 
classes  are  the  only  ones  that  should  be  considered 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  19 

amongst  the  unemployed. 

There  is  another  class  that  cannot  be  forgotten. 
This  is  the  underemployed,  so  called.  These  often- 
est  belong  to  the  "Bare-Subsistence-Trades."  Such 
are  the  trades  who  force  the  workman  to  work  at 
wages  below  self-support.  The  underemployed, 
are  a  large  class,  and  they  are  recruited  mostly  from 
the  ranks  of  Casual  labor.  Some,  it  is  true,  have 
come  from  the  higher  grades.  In  this  connection 
there  is  an  actual  leakage  of  labor  power,  which  in- 
volves more  serious  issues  than  that  through  fluctu- 
ations of  industry.  Any  agency  that  deals  with  un- 
employment, must  deal  first  of  all  with  underem- 
ployment for  the  step  from  this  to  unemployment 
is  very  short  and  direct.  Underemployment  is  a 
very  subtle  and  dangerous  condition.  The  under- 
employed are  those  who  are  called  on  often  enough, 
to  be  prevented  from  drifting  elsewhere,  and  who 
keep  at  a  high  margin  the  reserve  of  labor.  Their 
pay  is  inadequate  to  make  a  decent  living,  and  they 
are  a  menace,  not  only  to  the  labor  market,  but  also 
to  the  genuinely  unemployed.  A  demand  for  a  liv- 
ing wage  should  quickly  make  the  underemployed 
non-existent.  To  employ  children  at  school  at  odd 
jobs,  should  also  be  prohibited  by  laws.  To  call  the 
unemployed  those  who  "are  involuntary  idle,"  is  to 
enlarge  the  horizon  too  far.  While  the  sentence  is 
true  enough  as  to  the  genuinely  unemployed,  how 
many  elements  are  brought  in  which  might  be  allied 


20  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

to  the  subject. 

There  is  another  definition  which  calls  for  a 
warm  consideration.  It  is  the  one  that  confines  the 
unemployed  to  those  only  who  work  for  wages,  and 
who  by  whatever  cause,  when  their  wages  fail  them 
are  unemployed.  We  know  that  many  economists, 
restrict  the  term  "Unemployment,"  to  a  condition 
among  the  wage  earning  classes,  and  this  in  respect 
to  wage  work.  If  a  man  can  do  something  after 
his  day's  labor  is  over  this  does  not  exclude  him 
from  the  wage  earning  class.  The  term  applies  to 
wage  earners  when  they  are  unemployed  in  respect 
to  wage  work.  Many  things  might  be  said,  against 
this  view.  We  all  know  that  unemployment  does 
not  include  all  the  idleness  of  the  wage  earners.  Un- 
employment refers  to  the  forced  idleness  of  men 
who  want  to  work.  This  will  exclude  many  classes, 
as  those  who  do  not  want,  for  any  price,  to  work; 
the  sick,  the  aged,  the  infirm,  and  the  feeble-minded. 
To  come  within  the  proper  meaning  of  the  term, 
the  unemployed  should  be  those  who,  are  compelled 
to  be  idle,  when  they  can  and  want  work,  but  at 
present,  such  is  not  the  current  views.  This  is,  any 
man,  who  living  on  a  day's  wages,  is  deprived  of 
the  means  of  earning  this  amount.  Under  this  view 
the  army  of  the  unemployed  is  bound  to  be  large. 


Ill 


EXTENT    AND    SERIOUSNESS   OF    THE 
CONDITION 

npHIS  will  take  in  the  number  of  the  unemployed, 
and  the  extent  of  unemployment,  with  the  re- 
sults. It  is  the  extent  of  unemployment  that  adds 
number  and  force  to  the  army  of  the  unemployed. 
A  vital  lack  in  our  social,  political,  and  industrial 
life  is  this,  there  is  a  great  lack  of  information  on 
this  field  of  practical  everyday  life.  Why  it  should 
be  so,  brings  out  in  answer  a  condemnation  of  our 
attitude  towards  the  unemployed.  At  the  bar  of 
this  query,  society  is  held  as  the  accused.  European 
countries,  because  of  their  longer  acquaintance  with 
this  disease,  and  their  methods  of  dealing  with  it, 
are  in  possession  of  a  more  exact  information  there- 
on. In  the  United  States,  conditions  have  been  such 
that  very  little  attention  was  given  this  social  gan- 
grene. What  efforts  that  were  made  in  the  past  to 
get  at  real  facts,  has  been  done  by  churches  and 
charitable  institutions  in  our  large  centres  of  popula- 
tion, because  of  the  demand  of  the  unemployed  for 
relief.  In  answer  to  the  question, — What  is  the 
number  of  the  unemployed,  we  are  face  to  face  with 

21 


22  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

the  fact  that  there  is  no  universal  system  to  register 
the  unemployed.  The  difficulty  to  get  at  the  root 
of  this  is  probably  fundamental.  It  is  much  easier 
to  find  the  number  of  the  employed,  but  this  will 
not  help  us.  In  England  there  are  various  ways  to 
get  at  the  number  of  the  unemployed,  and  yet  the 
net  result  is  unsatisfactory.  The  Department  of 
Labor  in  the  United  States,  is  too  modern  and  too 
incomplete  in  its  formation  and  function.  But  this 
year  it  is  in  a  far  better  condition  to  give  good  re- 
sults, more  so,  than  at  any  time.  When  we  glance 
at  England  years  back,  its  only  means  was  the  Re- 
lief Department  of  Government,  with  its  Relieving 
Officer  and  Poor  House  plan  in  every  assigned  sec- 
tion. So  unsatisfactory  was  the  working  of  this 
system,  that  for  years  constant  improvements  are 
introduced.  At  the  present  time,  there  is  in  that 
country  various  methods  to  get  at  the  condition. 
We  will  name  first  the  Returns  of  the  Trade  Unions 
to  the  Labor  Department  of  the  Board  of  Trade. 
The  other  is  the  Report  of  the  Distress  Committees 
under  the  Unemployed  Workman's  Act  of  1905. 
But  these  are  far  from  being  complete.  The  Re- 
turns of  the  unemployed  by  the  unions  are  published 
monthly  in  the  Labor  Gazette.  The  returns  for 
January,  1908,  from  the  unions  are  these.  Out  of 
a  membership  of  649,789  there  were  40,580  unem- 
ployed, in  some  form  or  other.  But  you  will  know, 
these  unions  cover  only  a  very  partial  section  of  the 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         23 

labor  market.  Let  us  look  to  the  report  for  the 
end  of  December,  1907.  Here  we  find  the  unem- 
ployed— out  of  the  employed  reported  by  the  un- 
ions, to  be  6,1  per  cent.  Looking  back  a  year  to 
January,  1907,  we  find  the  percentage  to  be  4.2 
(England).  So  unreliable,  however,  are  the  re- 
turns of  the  Trade  Unions  as  to  the  unemployed, 
that  it  is  better  not  to  rely  upon  them.  When  we 
look  to  the  Distress  Committees  we  do  not  fare  any 
better.  Some  of  these  committees  have  not  taken 
any  action.  The  others  have  been  only  partial.  The 
power  that  created  these  committees  entrusted  them 
with  the  business  of  registering,  investigating,  and 
classifying  the  unemployed.  Of  the  result,  it  is  evi- 
dent to  all,  that  there  is  none.  To  show  what  a 
long  period  of  suffering  we  have  passed  through, 
because  of  this  diseased  condition  in  the  industrial 
and  social  circles  we  will  hurriedly  glance  over  vari- 
ous places  and  periods.  The  statistics  as  to  the  his- 
tory of  unemployment  up  to  the  year  1 890  are  very 
meagre,  especially  in  the  United  States.  Previous 
to  this,  one  of  the  best  states  to  pay  any  attention  to 
the  unemployed  was  Massachusetts.  Looking  back 
on  the  history  of  this  state  we  find  that  29.6  per 
cent,  is  the  record  for  the  year  1885.  This  is  the 
percentage  of  the  unemployed  as  compared  with  the 
population  of  this  state,  and  this  for  one  year.  In 
1900  the  returns  gave  28.2  per  cent.  Taking  the 
whole  of  the  United  States  in  the  year  1 890  we  find 


24  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

— and  taking  the  population  of  from  lo  years  of 
age  and  over,  that  15.1  per  cent,  were  unemployed 
during  the  year.  The  returns  for  1900  are  doubt- 
ful, but  they  give  us  as  unemployed  22.3.  In  Eng- 
land until  the  year  1875  there  was  a  general  de- 
crease in  unemployment.  However,  after  that  year 
there  was  a  constant  increase  in  the  percentage  of 
the  unemployed  until  the  year  1886  when  it  reached 
its  maximum.  Between  this  year  and  19 10,  owing 
to  trade  depressions  the  above  maximum  was  not 
reduced.  In  the  best  years  in  England,  never  has 
the  percentage  of  unemployment  gone  below  2  per 
cent.  The  lowest  figure  known  is  2.2  per  cent,  and 
this  occurred  in  the  year  1899  in  April  and  No- 
vember. The  reason  for  this  was  that  many  fac- 
tories and  works  kept  running.  As  regards  the 
United  States,  it  is  generally  conceded  that  in  nor- 
mal times,  the  statistics  of  Massachusetts,  may  be 
relied  on  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  that  will  come 
near  the  same  condition.  In  1885  a  thorough  in- 
quiry was  made  in  Massachusetts  amongst  all  em- 
ployed in  productive  industries.  There  were  806,- 
470  bread-winners  in  the  state.  Of  these  241,589 
had  been  unemployed  at  their  principal  occupations 
on  an  average  4. 1 1  months  in  the  year  named.  The 
total  wage-earning  population  lost  on  an  average 
1.22  months.  Of  the  241,589  unemployed  at  their 
principal  occupations,  10,758  found  work  at  sec- 
ondary  occupations.     Thus  the   unemployed   lost 


The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed  25 

during  the  year  on  an  average  3.9 1  months,  and  the 
general  Industrial  population  1.16  months.  The 
Commissioners  of  Labor  said,  "Abour  one-third  of 
the  total  persons  engaged  in  remunerative  labor 
were  unemployed  at  their  principal  occupation  for 
about  one-third  of  the  working  time."  Taking  the 
census  of  1900  (U.  S. )  as  our  guide  we  find,  and 
taking  the  whole  country,  and  all  industries  into  ac- 
count, that  there  were  22.3  per  cent,  unemployed. 
In  the  manufacturing  districts  it  was  27.2  per  cent. 
We  find  that  unemployment  is  more  prevalent  in 
the  eastern,  and  northern  (U.  S. )  sections  of  the 
country.  In  Bedford,  Fall  River  and  other  centres 
(Mass.),  in  1S85,  the  percentage  went  up  to  62 
per  cent.  We  often  meet  with  the  sentence,  "fluctua- 
tion in  the  number  of  the  unemployed."  This 
"means  that  about  30  per  cent,  of  the  maximum 
number  employed  in  the  busiest  season,  are  ren- 
dered idle  during  the  slack  seasons."  This  percent- 
age is  given  for  one  state  alone.  But  this  condition 
is  not  confined  to  one  state.  In  the  anthracite  coal 
mines,  we  find  that  the  average  time  the  men  are 
employed  is  not  more  than  two-thirds.  Seamen  on 
the  lakes  (U.  S.)  are  not  employed  on  an  average 
more  than  three  months  of  the  year.  In  the  cloth- 
ing trades  in  New  York  City,  conditions  are  but  lit- 
tle better.  During  the  first  seven  months  of  1903 
about  one-third,  and  one-fourth  of  all  the  workmen 
of  New  York  City  were  unemployed.     This  year 


id  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

was  considered  prosperous.  In  times  that  are  not 
as  prosperous  the  number  is  much  higher.  In  Janu- 
ary, 191 5,  the  church  of  the  Ascension,  N.  Y.  City, 
situated  on  Fifth  Ave,,  employed  rehable  men  to 
look  thoroughly  into  the  condition  and  number  of 
the  unemployed  in  that  city  (Greater  N.  Y.  City). 
These  men  gave  the  following  figures.  They  found 
60,000  without  work,  money  and  shelter.  The  to- 
tal unemployed  as  far  as  they  were  able  to  secure 
the  figures  were  562,700.  They  found  125,000 
women.  This  is  rather  below  than  above  the  actual 
number.  The  United  States  Labor  Report,  re- 
ferring to  the  year  1886  gives  us  the  following 
facts, — "In  establishments  as  factories,  mines,  and 
so  on,  5  per  cent,  were  absolutely  idle  during  the 
year  ending  July  ist,  1885,  and  perhaps  5  per  cent, 
more  were  idle  part  of  the  time.  In  1880  (census) 
there  were  255,000  of  such  estabhshments  employ- 
ing upward  of  2,250,000.  In  such  establishments 
during  the  year  mentioned,  there  were  168,750  em- 
ployees idle."  In  1880  this  report  gives,  out  of  the 
whole  population  of  the  country  (U.  S.),  1,304,- 
497  as  unemployed.  For  the  year  1885  the  figures 
are  998,839  unemployed.  And  this  in  such  a 
young  country  as  ours,  with  everything  to  discour- 
age unemployment.  In  the  year  1895  (U.  S. )  the 
number  of  the  unemployed  is  increasing.  Mr. 
Wright  of  the  Bureau  of  Labor  estimates  that  for 
the  year,  he  reports  1,000,000  are  unemployed  of 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         27 

those  who  in  prosperous  times  would  be  employed. 
Then  what  of  those  who  are  habitually  on  the  un- 
employed list?  In  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Amer- 
ican Telephone  and  Telegraph  Company  issued  by 
its  President,  Mr.  T.  N.  Vail,  March  25,  1915,  we 
find  the  statement  that  there  are  (on  this  date), 
2,000,000  persons  unemployed  in  the  United  States, 
whose  yearly  earnings  should  be,  at  least  $1,250,- 
000,000.  Let  us  now  see  what  is  the  testimony  of 
the  Fabian  Tract,  No.  5,  as  to  England  and 
Wales.  "Of  the  great  permanent  Army  of  the  un- 
employed, no  reliable  statistics  can  be  obtained. 
Mr.  Charles  Booth  writing  of  the  class  on  or  be- 
low the  poverty  line, — whose  earnings  do  not  ex- 
ceed a  guinea  a  week  per  family — numbered  in 
London  1,292,737.  To  this  number  he  added  99,- 
830  inmates  of  workhouses,  etc.,  making  a  total  of 
1,400,000  of  the  population  of  London.  Then  he 
adds  of  the  pauper  class  2,460,000.  To  add  the 
pauper  class  is  not  wrong  for  the  greatest  number 
in  this  class  are  so  because  of  unemployment."  Mr. 
William  Sproule,  President  of  the  Pacific  System  of 
the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  speaking  at  the  end 
of  February,  19 15,  uses  these  very  words, — "The 
country  is  in  the  midst  of  a  period  of  unemployment 
and  distress,  the  like  of  which  the  nation  never  saw 
before.  It  is  the  habit  of  the  time  to  speak  of  un- 
employment as  if  it  related  only  to  those  who  work 


2  8  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

for  a  specific  hourly  or  daily,  weekly  or  monthly 
wage.  It  is  thought  of  chiefly  as  relating  to  those 
engaged  in  minor  places  or  in  the  humbler  duties  of 
life."  Then  he  goes  on  to  explain  how  present  con- 
ditions affect  business  men.  One  term  Mr.  Sproule 
uses,  is  worthy  of  thought.  It  is  this,  "unprece- 
dented condition."  We  find  that  to-day  there  are 
6,000,000  women  out  of  employment.  Here  is  the 
list  as  if  in  a  nutshell. 

There  are  10,000,000  in  poverty. 

There  are  4,000,000  public  paupers. 

There  are  2,000,000  (U.  S.)  unemployed. 

There  are  500,000  male  immigrants  annually. 

There  are  1,700,000  children  of  tender  age  who 
have  to  work,  and  as  we  are  informed,  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  country,  some  of  these  children  are 
as  young  as  5  years.  Now  from  all  the  facts  pre- 
sented in  their  varied  aspects,  no  sane  mind  can  not 
but  shudder  at  such  a  state,  such  a  devastation  and 
loss.  The  financial  loss  to  the  country  apart  from 
the  individuals  and  families  who  suffer,  is  beyond 
the  power  of  figures  to  compute.  Then  think  of  the 
poverty,  want,  and  degradations  of  the  individuals 
and  their  families  who  suffer.  Then  what  about 
this  hatchery  for  all  forms  of  crime  to  the  third 
and  fourth  generation.  Thus  unemployment  is  the 
cesspool  for  industrial  and  moral  disease  that  can 
easily  be  fatal  to  all  national  enterprise  and  charac- 
ter.    It  is  really  the  national  gangrene  that  eats  to 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  29 

the  vitals  of  the  nation's  life.  No  man  nor  woman 
can  escape  the  responsibility,  for  we  have  all  fallen 
far  short  of  our  duty  in  this  matter. 


IV 
CAUSES— OR  WHY  THE  UNEMPLOYED 

npHESE  have  three  distinct  sources,  but  which 
finally  amalgamate  into  one  great  Amazon — 
the  unemployed.  These  sources  are — ( i )  The  in- 
dividuals themselves.  (2)  Society.  (3)  Indus- 
trial conditions. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  what  is  the  proportion  be- 
tween personal  inefficiency,  and  industrial  malad- 
justment. No  question, — to  some  extent  there  is 
an  interrelation.  The  same  can  be  said  of  Society. 
As  regards  personal  inefficiency,  it  is  conceded,  that 
most  of  this  is  found  among  the  lowest  grades  of 
wage  earners.  Taking  the  estimates  of  Mr.  Charles 
Booth,  (1889),  the  two  lowest  classes  constituted 
8.4  per  cent,  of  the  entire  population.  Looking 
again  on  the  part  industrial  disturbances  play  in  this 
matter,  we  have  to  say,  that  owing  to  a  lack  of  relia- 
ble figures  from  the  whole  field  of  labor,  any  esti- 
mate can  only  be  an  approximation.  As  an  illustra- 
tion from  one  section  of  the  labor  market,  we  may 
quote  a  fact  given  by  Mr.  Drage  "(The  Unem- 
ployed)." This  illustration  is  taken  from  the  con- 
ditions found  on  the  London  Docks  (England) .  To 
do  the  work  required  here,  it  is  claimed  that  4,000 

30 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         31 

reserve  laborers  were  required,  6,000  workmen  ap- 
plied, showing  that  2,000  men  were  seeking  work, 
but  could  not  find  it  a  serious  maladjustment.  So- 
ciety in  this  connection  cannot  escape  the  responsi- 
bility. Years  back,  we  find  Germany  has  fixed  upon 
Society  the  responsibility  for  much  of  the  poverty 
found  in  that  country,  in  levying  its  insurance  dues. 
Let  us  now  turn  to  these  points  more  carefully. 

The  Individuals  Themselves 

We  are  met  here  with  the  question — "How  does 
personal  character  enter  into  the  economic  causes  of 
unemployment  ?"  Some  will  answer  at  once — "You 
cannot  classify  men  according  to  the  causes  of  their 
unemployment."  But  we  are  not  classifying  ac- 
cording to  this  standard.  If  we  cannot  classify 
men,  the  men  and  their  work  classify  themselves, 
and  the  employers  are  doing  it.  Character  is  a 
very  important  element  in  employment  even  the 
lowest,  and  most  unskilled.  Character,  it  is  true, 
plays  a  more  visible  part,  the  higher  we  rise  in  the 
scale  of  labor.  No  question,  unemployment  is  due 
to  personal  defects.  There  are  men  who  are  occa- 
sionally unemployed,  but  the  unemployables  are  al- 
ways weeded  out.  They  do  not  satisfy  the  demand. 
Defect  of  character,  everywhere,  swell  the  army  of 
unemployed.  When  economic  conditions  become 
such  that  men  have  to  be  discharged,  the  axe  falls 


32  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

the  first  on  those  who  have  no  character.  An  insub- 
ordinate, irregular,  lazy  man,  as  compared  with 
the  one  who  has  the  opposing  qualities  is  the  first  to 
suffer.  And  if  other  moral  defects  belong  to  the 
man,  the  less  hesitation  is  there  to  discharge  him. 
The  Departmental  Committee  on  Vagrancy  (Eng- 
land) state,  that  in  good  times  from  20,000  to  30,- 
000  of  such  men  lose  their  jobs,  and  in  times  of 
depression,  this  number  runs  up  to  80,000.  Idle- 
ness demoralizes  men  and  makes  them  more  and 
more  unfit.  Any  man  who  knows  anything  about 
wage  earners,  know  there  are  men  perfectly  able  to 
work  yet  who  cannot  keep  their  employment. 

Here  there  is  a  personal  cause.  As  far  as  the 
man  himself  is  concerned  we  find  three  great  causes 
militating  against  him.  These  are,  intemperance, 
shiftlessness,  and  lack  of  thrift.  Others  may  be 
easily  added  as  thieving,  unwillingness  to  work  for 
his  marketable  value,  incompatibility  of  temper 
with  fellow  workers.  There  are  some  men  in  the 
ranks  of  the  unemployed  simply  because  they  will 
not  work  unless  they  get  the  highest  price  in  the 
market  for  their  labor,  which  is  a  moral  deficiency 
of  character.  It  is  an  overestimation  of  oneself. 
Many  of  these  vices  are  acquired  by  heredity  and 
environment.  But  many  of  them  also  are  contract- 
ed through  casual  work,  underemployment,  and  un- 
employment. Let  a  man  be  for  a  time  unemployed, 
he  becomes  inefficient,  and  deteriorates  in  physique 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         33 

— economically  and  morally.  Thus  in  this  relation, 
there  is  a  double-action.  Such  a  condition  tells 
harder  on  the  second  generation.  The  vagrant  class 
are  supplied  largely  through  such  a  condition.  Va- 
grancy can  be  more  directly  traced  to  casual  or  un- 
employment, and  both,  than  to  other  vices.  Ineffi- 
ciency is  certainly,  one  strong  cause  for  unemploy- 
ment. When  adverse  industrial  condition  comes, — 
the  first  to  feel  it,  is  the  inefficient.  The  primary 
cause  for  unemployment  is  an  economic  depression. 
The  secondary  cause  is  inefficiency,  which  in  many 
cases  can  be  traced  to  a  period  of  idleness.  Actually 
men  have  been  known,  through  idleness,  to  have  be- 
come unemployables.  Thus  personal  character  is 
a  great  asset  to  secure  employment  and  keep  em- 
ployed. 

Society — as  a  Cause 

To  what  has  been  already  said,  there  are  other 
things,  that  must  be  urged  on  society.  There 
should  be  an  effort  on  the  part  of  society  to  destroy 
ev^ery  vestige  of  class  distinction.  It  is  character 
that  should  cause  distinction  and  not  a  man's  work. 
Society  has  been  too  ready  to  point,  yea  in  derision, 
to  the  workman  as  a  wage-earner.  In  looking  up 
the  history  of  labor  we  find  that  this  distinction  has 
been  getting  more  and  more  pronounced.  We  find 
that  it  was  a  desire  for  a  class  exclusion  that  led  to 


34  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

such  a  result  as  class  distinction.  The  dividing  of 
English  society  into  a  capitalistic,  and  a  wageearn- 
ing  classes  came  from  a  desire  to  maintain  social 
superiority.  At  first  this  distinction  was  not  in 
existence,  and  the  sooner  it  gets  out  of  existence  the 
better  it  will  be  for  all.  It  is  a  matter  of  history, 
that  as  the  master  craftsman  acquired  wealth  he, 
more  and  more,  formed  a  class  by  himself.  The 
chasm  widened.  The  labor  guilds  became  more 
monopolistic,  avaricious,  tyrannical.  By  1536  in 
England,  these  guilds  had  become  so  tyrannical, 
that  parliament  had  to  interfere.  Now  the  class- 
hatred  can  be  traced  to  these  conditions  hundreds 
of  years  back.  As  the  world  is  becoming  more  and 
more  Christianized,  and  so  democratic,  it  is  the 
bounden  duty  of  Christianized  society  to  do  all  in 
its  power  to  remove  this  class  distinction  and 
hatred.  This  would  materially  aid  in  the  solution 
of  the  problem  of  the  unemployed.  As  it  is,  society 
is  retarding  the  movement  at  solution. 

Labor  problems  no  doubt,  have  their  roots,  in 
three  or  four  great  social  institutions.  Society  by 
not  exercising  its  influence  as  it  should  over  these,  is 
a  serious  contributing  cause  to  unemployment.  The 
Wage  System  itself  is  one  of  these  social  institu- 
tions. Under  this  system  men  are  not  supposed  to 
be  in  bondage,  and  they  should  not  be  in  the  other 
extreme — the  Socialistic.  True,  by  his  hire,  the 
workman  takes  upon  himself  the  responsibility  of 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         35 

certain  conditions.  He  places  himself  on  the  mar- 
ket for  hire,  and  is  seeking  the  best  advantage.  Now 
I  hold  that  Society  should  lend  its  moral  support  to 
this  man,  so  that  he  will  get,  at  least,  a  fair  deal. 

Another  Social  Institution  is  capitalization.  So- 
ciety has  been  at  fault  in  permitting  the  highly  capi- 
talized form  of  modern  industry,  to  go  too  far,  and 
thus  injure  the  workman.  This  is  a  delicate  and  an 
intricate  question  to  handle,  yet  it  should  be  con- 
trolled by  the  Christian  principles  of  our  modern 
times,  so  that  no  citizen  unduly  suffers.  Under 
present  conditions  they  do  suffer.  We  are  today 
working  under  what  is  known  as  the  "factory  sys- 
tem." While  this  system  has  many  advantages,  yet 
it  has  been  allowed  to  go  to  a  condition,  that  its 
disadvantages  are  multiplying,  and  for  which  we 
hold  society  responsible.  We  shall  name  few  of 
these  disadvantages,  nay  wrongs;— child  labor,  em- 
ployment of  women  under  certain  conditions;  in- 
dustrial accidents ;  factory  regulations  too  onerous 
without  sufficient  protection  to  those  employed;  in- 
difference to  the  primary  interests  of  the  workman. 
In  our  own  days,  the  factory  system  has  gone  too 
far  in  centralization,  which  hinders  industrial  inde- 
pendence. All  these  things  lead  to  the  swelling  of 
the  numbers  of  the  unemployed.  Society  has  not 
made  the  effort,  it  should,  to  prevent  existing  con- 
ditions, thus  its  responsibility.  Then  again  Society 
has  been  too  ready  to  uphold  every  selfish  motive 


36  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

of  the  employers  of  labor.  Without  mentioning 
anything  else  we  may  refer  to  the  support  society 
gives  to  the  Sweating  System.  This  is  one  of  the 
worst  agencies  that  lead  to  unemployment,  and  it 
materially  swells  the  ranks  of  the  unemployed.  In 
the  chapter  on  Cause,  Remedies,  etc.,  we  will  have 
to  refer  again  to  this  system,  as  an  industrial  fac- 
tor. A  writer  in  the  "Independent,"  lately,  has 
expressed  himself  forcibly,  on  this  point  as  to  socie- 
ty. He  says  "the  Issue  of  unemployment  cannot 
longer  be  shirked,  because  it  will  become  more  and 
more  the  centre  of  justified  social  revolt.  Socialists 
and  anarchists  will  use  It  for  ends  of  their  own.  Un- 
til Society  deals  seriously,  and  constructively,  with 
the  problem  this  agitation  will  be  justified. 
We  have  thus  far,  fooled  with  these  issues."  (Those 
vast)  "armies  of  skllless  vagrants  and  unemploya- 
bles  are  year  by  year,  our  social  products." 

Industrial  Conditions 

John  Stuart  Mill,  spoke  once  of  men  "sacrificed 
to  the  gains  of  their  fellow  citizens,  and  of  poster- 
ity." He  no  doubt  spoke  of  industrial  causes  mili- 
tating against  men.  We  may  put  the  cause  from 
Industry,  as  "Loss  and  lack  of  Industrial  Quality." 
Industry  Is  In  a  constant  flux  and  men  are  constantly 
thrown  out  of  employment.  Industries  are  trans- 
formed, others  decay.    Less  men,  are  at  times,  em- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         37 

ployed,  then  one  type  of  labor  is  substituted  for  an- 
other. Seats  of  industries  are  moved,  and  in  form- 
er times  men  found  it  hard  to  change  their  resi- 
dence. Men  of  certain  age,  by  changes  in  their 
workshops,  and  factories,  are  thrown  out  of  em- 
ployment, and  they  find  it  hard  to  adopt  new  meth- 
ods, and  at  the  same  time,  it  is  more  difficult  for 
them  to  obtain  work.  Though  advancing  years 
may  not  be  a  great  factor  in  unemployment,  yet  it  is 
a  factor  when  radical  changes  in  the  mode  of  work 
takes  place.  Then  in  their  very  nature,  we  have 
certain  trades  that  directly  lead  to  unemployment 
in  its  worst  form — unemployment  leading  to  pau- 
perism. These  are  known  to  economists  and  work- 
men as,  ( I )  Bare  Subsistence-trades.  These  pay 
such  low  wages  that  a  man  and  his  famiiy  cannot 
subsist.  (2)  Labor  deteriorating  trades.  Such 
are  those  in  their  work  which  sap  the  physical 
strength,  and  character  of  their  employees.  (3) 
Subsidized  trades.  These  do  not  pay  enough  wages 
to  keep  those  who  are  employed  in  proper  condition 
and  labor  value.  The  funeral  procession  of  these 
trades,  to  the  grave  of  the  unemployed,  is  large. 
Industry  as  a  whole  grows,  but  certain  trades  fail, 
causing  unemployment. 

Casual  and  irregular  employment.  There  are 
two  marked  features  belonging  to  casual  employ- 
ment. There  is  but  little,  if  any  discrimination,  as 
to  the  men  employed.    The  idea  in  the  mind  of  the 


38  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

employer,  or  the  "boss,"  seems  to  be — "get  the 
work  done  anyway."  This  state  of  things  carries 
on  its  surface,  a  lack  of  permanency,  therefore  the 
employed  will  be  discharged  as  soon  as  the  work  is 
done.  The  other  feature  is  what  we  already  hinted 
at, — the  hire  at  best  is  but  for  a  short  time.  Here 
there  is  no  injustice,  because  conditions  are  known. 
However,  the  demand  and  supply  of  labor  should 
be  such,  as  to  make  casual  and  irregular  employ- 
ment a  difficult  thing  to  exist.  As  it  is  at  present, 
it  is  a  curse  to  those  employed,  and  a  loss  to  the 
country.  So  common  has  this  method  of  employ- 
ment become,  that  it  has  given  existence  to  a  class 
of  workmen,  who  are  satisfied  with  only  a  limited 
amount  of  work.  To  the  employer  of  labor,  it  may 
be  an  advantage  from  a  selfish  standpoint,  and  a 
boon  to  an  employer  who  does  work  on  a  small 
scale  with  a  limited  capital.  But  to  the  workman  it 
is  an  hand-to-mouth  existence.  To  the  state,  and 
municipality,  it  is  an  anxiety  and  loss.  Men  who 
are  good  employers  of  labor,  do  not  want  the  cas- 
ual workman.  The  sad  fact,  however,  is,  the  per- 
centage of  such  men  is  not  low.  In  London  (Eng- 
land) the  percentage  at  least  is  7.5.  We  find  that 
such  employment  leads  directly  to  deterioration  in 
physique  and  character.  It  is  too  well  known  to 
need  much  argument,  that  a  hand-to-mouth  exist- 
ence is  the  least  incentive  to  self-reliance  and  thrift. 
It  is  also  as  well  known,  that  such  condition  leads  to 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         39 

unsteadiness,  and  intemperance.  Its  worst  form  is 
the  deteriorating  influence  it  carries  on  the  children. 
Children  raised  in  such  homes  are  the  vagrants  and 
unemployables.  Under  our  present  system  of  in- 
dustry the  remedy  by  persuasion  is  so  hopeless,  that 
society  and  the  state  should  make  up  their  minds, 
that  radical  means  must  be  used,  and  the  only  hope 
is  by  forcibly  making  the  condition  impossible  of 
existence.  An  effort  should  be  made,  that  irregular 
and  casual  work  cannot  find  a  supply.  Then  on  the 
other  hand,  make  conditions  such  that  a  work  of 
this  kind  cannot  be  found. 

Another  phase  of  this  danger  is.  Irregular  Work. 
In  many  ways  there  is  a  likeness  to,  and  an  affinity 
between  a  casual  and  an  irregular  work,  yet  there  is 
a  difference.  One  point  is,  in  the  irregular  work, 
there  is  not  the  same  element  of  a  chance  to  obtain, 
work.  With  the  irregular  work,  a  man  may  be  em- 
ployed, yet  his  time  of  work  is  uncertain.  What 
has  been  said  of  the  Casual  Work,  as  to  its  deteri- 
orating influence  is  fully  applicable  to  irregular 
work.  There  is  one  form,  however  of  this  work 
that  we  should  particularly  warn  against.  This  is 
overtime.  In  the  United  States,  this  method  is  very 
prevalent,  and  is  a  fruitful  cause  of  unemployment. 
The  reason  given  for  overtime  by  employers  who 
use  it,  is,  that  it  is  demanded.  In  many  cases,  a  big 
question-mark  could  be  placed  after  such  a  reason. 
Government  has  become  alive  to  the  dangers  to 


40  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

overtime  work  in  many  industries,  that  it  is  abso- 
lutely prohibited ;  in  others,  government  has  so  ob- 
structed the  way  that  a  difficulty  is  found.  In  many 
States  legislatures  have  rightly  demanded  a  higher 
pay  for  overwork  time.  No  one  can  deny,  but  that 
industries  at  times  may  be  pressed  for  supplies,  but 
this  is  not  the  rule.  Many  shops  and  factories  how- 
ever make  it  the  rule  for  a  certain  period.  But  is 
not  much  of  this  supposed  demand  not  created  by 
selfishness?  With  many  commodities,  their  manu- 
facture can  be  taken  up  at  any  time.  If  the  firm  has 
sufficient  capital,  so  as  not  to  be  compelled  to  at 
once,  place  such  commodities  on  the  market,  it 
would  be  a  direct  benefit  to  such  firms  to  have  a 
recourse  to  overtime.  Factories  afterwards  could 
be  shut  down ;  running  expenses  could  be  dispensed 
with,  the  employers  and  managers  can  turn  their  at- 
tention to  something  else,  or  to  enjoy  their  rest.  But 
we  are  here  confronted  with  a  serious  question — 
"What  about  the  men  who  are  employed  in  such 
factories,  under  such  conditions?"  They  most  of- 
ten fall  into  the  ranks  of  the  unemployed.  Then 
there  is  a  larger  question  still — "Is  overtime  a  real 
benefit  to  those  employed?"  The  answer  is — physi- 
cally it  is  a  serious  menace  to  health,  and  financially 
also  it  is  a  loss  except  under  rare  conditions.  Mor- 
ally such  a  work  deteriorates,  for  various  reasons. 
Where  saloons  exist  they  invariably  are  well  patron- 
ized at  certain  hours,  and  they  are  crowded  near 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         41 

such  works.  The  irregular  habits  and  loss  of  sleep 
affect  even  the  moral  fibre.  If  the  man  has  a  char- 
acter and  can  keep  it,  and  the  pay  is  large,  without 
any  sickness,  nor  accident,  a  financial  margin  may 
be  secured,  but  not  often.  Then  how  long  does 
overtime  last?  Generally  it  is  a  short  period,  fol- 
lowed by  a  shutting  down,  with  a  long  period  of 
idleness.  After  balancing  all  profits  and  loss,  to  the 
employed,  we  believe  every  sane  workingman  will 
come  to  the  conclusion,  that  it  is  better  for  all,  that 
the  even  tenor  of  the  shops  and  factories  be  kept  up 
with  a  good  day's  work  at  proper  pay.  The  effort 
made  by  employees  everywhere  for  short  hours,  is 
a  proof  of  the  sanity  of  this  view.  Then  there  are 
other  facts  to  be  considered.  One  is,  overtime  is 
oftenest  followed  by  long  period  of  idleness.  An- 
other is,  that  overtime  from  a  business  principle  is 
wrong.  Then  these  extra  efforts  lead  to  lower 
wages,  and  in  the  long  run,  the  workman  will  find, 
he  has  lost  more  than  he  has  gained.  As  a  fact,  bus- 
iness rightly  conducted,  needs  no  overtime.  This 
on  a  large  scale  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  much  less 
overtime  is  used  in  England  than  in  the  United 
States.  Many  firms  who  resort  to  overtime,  when 
pressed  for  a  reason,  why  they  closed  down,  will 
candidly  say,  "We  could  not  keep  it  up,  and  we  have 
somehow  to  get  back  our  money."  Business  and 
trade  carried  on  against  nature's  laws  are  bound  to 
suffer.     Thus  overtime  is  a  direct  cause  of  unem- 


42  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

ployment. 

Underemployment  is  another  of  the  irregulari- 
ties of  labor.  Underemployment  is  just  as  bad  as 
underpayment,  for  it  indirectly  amounts  to  the  same 
thing,  and  is  the  next  door  neighbor  to  no  employ- 
ment. 

Competition  though  a  law  of  progress,  is  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  workman,  a  serious  matter, 
and  affects  very  seriously  employment.  Some  look 
on  labor  as  a  species  of  gambling.  The  man  with 
a  large  family  has  to  compete  for  wages  with  the 
single  man.  Here  there  is  a  very  vital  competition. 
The  employer  is  in  the  market  for  the  cheapest  hire. 
The  man  with  a  large  family  is  outrivalled  by  the 
man  with  a  small  family,  and  the  man  without  a 
family.  The  first  one  says  he  cannot  work  for  less 
than  25  cents  an  hour,  because  of  his  large  family. 
The  second  can  work  for  20  cents  an  hour,  and  the 
third  for  18  cents,  because  he  has  no  family.  This 
last  man  is  as  capable  in  everyway  as  the  other  two. 
The  employer  of  the  labor  gains  seven  cents  an 
hour  on  each  man,  and  if  he  has  to  employ  a  large 
number,  the  gain  will  be  large.  Thus,  who  can 
blame  him  for  employing  the  eighteen  cents  man. 
In  unskilled  labor  the  Italian  and  other  South  of 
Europe  people,  outbid  our  own  laborers.  The  two 
first  men  we  mentioned,  unless  the  demand  is  very 
strong,  must  fall  to  the  ranks  of  the  unemployed. 
Two  out  of  three  are  thus  out  of  jobs.  In  Salt  Lake 


The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed  43 

City,  a  public  protest  was  made,  this  spring,  against 
the  Bureau  (Municipal),  because  they  were  em- 
ploying foreigners  to  do  the  work  of  the  city  and 
the  Americans  compelled  to  be  idle.  Competition 
invariably  reduces  wages,  and  thus  becomes  a  fruit- 
ful source  of  unemployment. 

The  Reserve  of  Labor  is  another  cause  that  di- 
rectly leads  to  swell  the  number  of  the  unemployed. 
The  reason  given  for  this  condition  is  that  labor  de- 
mands it.  Entering  into  this  feature  of  the  labor 
market  there  are  certain  elements,  that  ought  to  be 
remembered.  The  reserve  represents  the  fluctua- 
tions of  work  to  be  done  m  various  labor  centers. 
There  are  men  holding  themselves  open  for  a 
chance,  thinking  they  might  get  something  better 
Then  another  reason  for  it  on  the  part  of  the  work- 
man is  ignorance  of  where  to  get  employment.  Here 
the  question  of  mobility  enters.  Weighing  this 
cause  in  a  general  way,  we  may  say  there  are  to 
every  800  or  900  men  employed  from  100  to  200 
reserves.  A  few  years  back,  the  seriousness  of  this 
condition  was  to  be  easily  seen,  on  the  London 
Docks  in  England.  We  find  that  when  4,000  men 
were  needed  for  the  various  demands,  6,000  ap- 
plied, thus  giving  the  managers  an  opportunity  to 
increase  their  reserve  of  labor,  and  finally  swell  the 
ranks  of  the  unemployed.  One  who  is  well  ac- 
quainted with  Dock  employment,  makes  this  state- 
ment, "The  central  evil  is  the  maintenance  of  a 


44  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

floating  reserve  of  labor,  far  larger  than  the  maxi- 
mum demands  of  employers."  To  give  a  general 
estimate  of  the  reserve  of  labor  throughout  the 
country  cannot  be  done,  only  approximately.  Mr. 
Charles  Booth,  confining  himself  to  report  casual 
employment,  believes  "that  in  this  class  of  work 
alone,  there  are  20,000  (London  Docks),  compet- 
ing irregularly  for  work  in  the  same  22,000."  The 
number  of  men  employed  (Docks)  on  the  busiest 
day  was  18,000,  and  on  the  slackest  day  12,000. 
Taking  the  average  for  the  year  it  was  15,000. 
Thus  in  this  class  of  work,  alone,  and  in  one  place, 
there  would  be  7,000  waiting  to  be  employed.  In 
all  the  other  ports  of  England,  similar  conditions 
prevail.  Miss  Rathbone  speaking  of  Liverpool, 
England,  reports  thus — "the  present  irregularity  of 
employment,  is  much  greater  than  is  arithmetically 
necessary,  to  balance  the  irregularity  of  work  in 
the  port,  taking  it  as  a  single  labor  market."  In 
other  trades  irregularity  of  work  keeps  a  large  re- 
serve of  men,  who  at  least  do  not  work,  more  than 
half  their  time.  These  men  are  told  they  might  be 
called  at  an  hour's  notice.  Now,  we  are  face  to  face 
with  the  question — Is  this  reserve  of  labor  abso- 
lutely a  necessity?  Our  answer  is  decidedly — No. 
When  we  can  stop  casual  and  irregular  work,  and 
worker,  the  reserve  of  labor  will  disappear.  Get 
less  men  to  look  for  a  job  and  be  willing  to  wait, 
employers  will  have  to  keep  their  men,  thus  there 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         45 

will  be  a  marked  reduction  in  the  number  of  the  un- 
employed. There  is  not  one  moment  in  any  trade, 
when  men  are  employed  to  the  full.  A  law  of  in- 
dustry is  this, — the  more  numerous  and  scattered 
the  separate  trades  and  works  are,  and  the  greater 
and  more  rapid  the  fluctuations,  the  demand  will  be 
for  a  larger  reserve  of  labor,  and  the  faster  will  the 
number  be  added  to  the  unemployed,  for  the  re- 
serve is  a  good  apprenticeship  to  unemployment. 

Trusts  as  Cause — Trusts  centralize  wealth.  By 
this  means  they  are  more  able  to  make  quick 
changes,  introduce  the  best  and  most  modern  ma- 
chinery which  replace  men.  They  are  more  able  to 
control  the  labor  market  and  thus  influence  hire  and 
wages.  Then,  in  another  way  they  lead  to  unem- 
ployment by  closing  down  many  of  their  factories, 
and  when  this  is  done,  they  discard  the  oldest  men, 
and  many  are  thrown  out  irrespective  of  age,  and 
thus  the  ranks  of  the  unemployed  are  more  numer- 
ous. Such  times,  whatever  else  are  times  of  weed- 
ing out  the  men,  who  otherwise  would  have  been 
employed. 

Relief  {Charity) .  By  this  we  mean,  injudicious 
and  badly  managed  relief,  and  even  relief,  as  a 
means  to  meet  the  unemployed,  as  a  principle.  True 
there  are  conditions  in  which  men,  even  good  men, 
need  a  help,  and  it  would  be  wrong  to  withhold  such 
a  help.  But  as  a  rule,  whether  the  aid  be  personal, 
municipal,  or  state,  in  too  many  cases,  such  has 


4^  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

been  given  without  considering  the  real  and  ulti- 
mate benefit  of  those  helped.  Honorable  workmen 
despise  charity  aid,  and  say,  — "Give  us  work."  But 
there  are  a  large  class  who  are  not  of  this  type. 
Now  we  find  that  relief  has  had  no  classification,  no 
wise  management,  in  fact  has  been  inefficient,  con- 
trolled too  often  by  favoritism,  and  demoralizing. 
Many  men  have  been  thus  induced  to  depend  on 
charity,  and  neglect  providing  by  honest  work. 
Many  of  these  are,  today,  well  known  at  the  soup 
kitchens,  and  breadlines.  They  are  the  most  dif- 
ficult to  handle  of  the  unemployed,  without  princi- 
ple, and  without  shame. 

Immigration.  As  the  ranks  of  the  unemployed, 
are  swelled  mostly  from  unskilled  labor,  and  the 
lower  classes  of  workmen,  we  can  easily  see  how 
this  helps  unemployment,  and  how  the  number  of 
the  unemployed  are  thus  augmented.  This  result 
has  been  markedly  noticed  since  1885  in  this  coun- 
try. From  this  year  to  the  present,  the  character, 
ability,  and  desirability  of  the  Immigrant  has 
changed.  The  influx  of  people  of  a  low  standard 
of  life,  and  correspondingly  low  in  intellect,  and  ed- 
ucation, has  in  every  way  affected  the  American 
workingman.  In  this  relationship,  the  first  influ- 
ence is  on  Wages.  Because  of  their  cheap  way  of 
living,  ignorance  of  our  language  and  customs,  the 
cupidity  of  employers  lead  them  to  take  advantage 
of  these  people  to  their  own  benefit.    The  main  de- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         47 

fence  of  these  employers,  in  seeking  alien  labor  is, — 
they  cannot  get  native  Americans  to  do  their  work; 
they  are  too  upish;  and  so  cannot  be  controlled. 
They  claim,  the  American  boy  knows  more  than  his 
"boss."  Anyway,  whatever  truth  may  be  in  this, 
the  American  will  not  be  a  slave,  and  he  will  not  pay 
the  "little  boss,"  a  bonus  for  the  privilege  of  a  job. 
The  immigrant  has  his  rights,  as  well  as  the  native, 
and  there  is  a  reasonable  and  a  just  way  to  deal  with 
the  situation  without  causing  an  injustice  to  either 
party.  It  cannot  be  denied,  but  that  immigration 
has  driven  many  of  the  native  sons  and  daughters 
out  of  the  labor  market.  Where  have  they  gone? 
Wherever  else,  alas !  but  to  the  ranks  of  the  unem- 
ployed. This  is  especially  true  of  laborers,  and  the 
unskilled  employee.  No  doubt  much  of  this  loss  to 
the  natives,  can  be  laid  at  the  door  of  improper  dis- 
tribution of  the  immigrants.  Our  large  cities,  and 
the  northern  sections  of  the  country  suffer  most,  be- 
cause the  immigrants  crowd  to  these  places.  These 
people  naturally,  have  a  strong  affinity  for  each 
other,  strengthened  by  many  ties.  They  form  pop- 
ulous colonies  in  our  great  centres  of  industries. 
Employers  encourage  the  condition,  because  they 
thus  can  get  their  cheap  labor.  These  people  cause 
an  oversupply  of  workers,  they  underbid  for  wages, 
and  are  willing  to  work  at  a  nominal  price.  The 
only  relief  often  is  the  expansion  of  the  labor  mar- 
ket, which  of  late  has  not  kept  pace  with  the  condi- 


48  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

tlons.  Our  Government  is  becoming  more  and  more 
alive  to  this  condition,  and  our  Bureau  of  Immigra- 
tion is  putting  forth  extra  efforts  towards  a  better 
distribution.  God  through  this  great  European 
War,  is  making  their  task  much  easier.  We  have 
said,  what  we  have  said,  notwithstanding  the  fact, 
that  certain  economists  minimize  the  general  effect 
of  immigration  as  a  factor  in  unemployment.  Facts, 
certainly  are  against  their  view.  Whoever  studies 
the  question  of  the  unemployed,  where  these  large 
aggregations  of  immigrants  are,  will  at  once  be- 
lieve, that  immigration  is  a  fruitful  cause  of  unem- 
ployment in  the  lower  grades  of  labor,  and  indirect- 
ly, the  upper  grades.  All  indications  show  that  the 
large  influx  of  this  class  of  alien  population,  is 
caused  by  the  action  of  selfish  employers,  with  the 
direct  object  of  influencing  the  labor  market.  One 
of  the  best  informed,  and  a  good  authority  on  this 
point  is  Mr.  Jacob  A.  Riis.  His  statement  is  this 
— "Scarce  a  Greek  comes  here"  (U.  S.),  "man, 
or  boy  who  is  not  under  contract."  "A  hundred 
dollars  a  year  is  the  price,  so  it  is  said,  by  those  who 
know,  though  the  padrones'  cunning,  has  put  the 
legal  proof,  beyond  their  reach.  And  the  Armen- 
ian and  Syrian  hucksters,  are  worked  by  some  ped- 
dling trust  that  traffics  in  human  labor,  as  do  other 
merchants  in  foodstuffs,  coal  and  oil."  From  this 
we  see,  how  the  selfish  employer  multiplies  his 
means  of  profit  at  the  expense  of  the  country.     In 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         49 

this  relation  there  are  various  agencies  combining  to 
farm  the  country.  These  immigrants  do  not  come 
here  Hke  the  old  ones,  to  get  land  and  establish  a 
home,  but  they  are  coaxed  by  allurements,  glowing 
advertisements  scattered  broadcast  by  American 
selfish  employers,  the  Navigation  Trusts,  and  An- 
archists. On  the  part  of  these  Agencies,  it  is  not 
love  of  charity  towards  either  the  emigrant  or  the 
United  States.  Those  who  have  kept  in  touch  with 
the  work  of  the  U.  S.  Senate,  will  remember,  when 
one  of  our  immigration  bills  was  introduced,  that 
the  Southern  Railroad  Co.  not  only  had  a  lobby, 
but  actually  sent  representatives  to  a  Committee  of 
the  Senate,  to  plead  against  passing  any  bill  that 
would  restrict  emigration.  The  reason  given  by 
these  grave  representatives  was — "We  need  the 
men."  At  this  very  moment,  there  were  thousands 
of  unemployed  in  the  country.  The  Commissioner 
of  Immigration  answered  thus, — "If  you  pay  living 
wages  you  will  get  laborers  enough."  Italy  is  hon- 
eycombed with  emigration  agents,  drumming  up 
business  for  the  United  States  labor  market,  when 
this  market  is  already  full.  The  class  of  employers 
of  labor  in  our  country  who  use  such  means,  are 
the  poorest  paying  concerns.  In  one  instance,  these 
people,  for  the  period  of  12  months  employed  7,- 
000  agents  throughout  Italy,  who  used  every  means 
foul  and  fair,  to  persuade  those  poor  people  to 
come  to  this  country.    Such  an  effort  is  put  forth  to 


50  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

keep  down  wages.  The  result  in  many  cases,  is  a 
hand-to-mouth  existence  and  a  material  addition  to 
the  unemployed.  The  S.  Pacific  Railroad  Co.  when 
these  people  were  actually  brought  to  this  country, 
would  not  pay  them  more  than  $ii.i6  to  $1.39  a 
day.  And  how  many  days  a  month,  these  poor  peo- 
ple are  allowed  to  work?  Such  conduct  is  worse 
than  theft,  and  God  will  not  close  His  eyes  to  such 
murderous  tactics.  Allied  with  the  employers  of 
cheap  labor,  is  the  Anarchist.  He  wants  to  flood 
the  labor  market,  and  prevent  work  at  reasonable 
price,  so  he  can  create  discontent,  and  find  a  pre- 
pared soil  to  scatter  the  seeds  of  revolution,  to 
make  impossible,  order  and  government.  From  all 
these  proceedings,  unskilled  labor,  greatly  suffers 
and  the  result  is  unemployment. 

The  Sweating  System.  It  is  in  the  Sweating  Sys- 
tem we  see  the  dire  results  of  the  low  type  of  immi- 
grants, who  have  come  to  our  shores.  These  de- 
fenceless new-comers,  at  once,  fall  the  helpless  vic- 
tims to  this  system.  Ignorant  of  the  language,  and 
poor  on  their  landing,  they  accept  any  employment 
that  offers  a  means  to  keep  together  soul  and  body. 
Most  of  them  are  in  abject  poverty.  The  definition 
of  the  Sweating  System,  by  Henry  White,  once  the 
general  secretary  of  the  United  Garment  Work- 
ers of  America,  will  reveal  the  nature  of  this  hide- 
ous monster.  Of  this  Mr.  White  says,  "Sweating 
System  is  specifically  used  to  describe  a  condition  of 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         5 1 

labor  in  which,  a  maximum  amount  of  work  in  a 
given  time,  is  performed  for  a  minimum  wage,  and 
in  which  the  ordinary  rules  of  health  and  comfort 
are  disregarded."  It  is  the  seasonal  character  of 
such  a  miserable  system  that  directly  affects  unem- 
ployment, and  this  coupled  with  the  wages.  Long 
hours,  with  the  scantiest  wages  would  be  bad 
enough.  Add  to  this,  how  health  suffers  by  work- 
ing in  unsanitary  places,  and  which  is  a  constant 
source  of  expense.  To  all  this  add  the  uncertain 
tenure  of  work.  There  are  only  two  seasons  of  the 
year  that  offers  work.  Because  it  is  a  contract  system, 
all  the  losses  through  lack  of  work,  are  thrown  on 
the  employed.  Almost  as  a  body,  those  employed 
lose  every  desire  at  thrift,  they  fall  easy  victims  to 
every  evil  habit  that  undermines  manhood  and 
character.  For  a  very  few  weeks,  work  is  rushed, 
for  the  balance  of  the  year,  those  who  are  in  the 
grasp  of  the  system  must  be  idle.  Families  and  in- 
dividuals soon  use  up  what  was  gained,  and  there 
is  nothing  for  them  but  to  depend  for  relief  on  char- 
ity. A  tailor,  who  had  been  born  into  the  home  of 
one  of  these  parents,  and  in  early  years  had  been 
compelled  to  work  under  the  system,  was  one  even- 
ing walking  on  the  sidewalk  with  a  friend.  They 
passed  a  prostitute.  Immediately  this  tailor  said 
to  the  other  man:  "The  man  who  won  pleasure  by 
the  degradation  of  that  woman,  is  a  modern  canni- 
bal."    Pausing  for  a  moment,  and  with  fierce  an- 


52  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

ger  he  continued,  "No  he  is  worse  than  a  cannibal, 
for  he  not  only  destroyed  her  body,  he  ate  her  very 
soul."  Such  a  man  was  a  sweating  employer. 
What  a  picture  of  the  Sweating  system,  industrially 
and  morally,  and  yet  such  is  upheld  by  honest  re- 
ligious men  and  women,  in  their  overreadiness  to 
buy  cheap  clothing  in  the  market.  How  long  will  ye 
people,  who  make  better  claims,  uphold  such  a  hell 
on  earth,  as  this  system  produces.  Children  raised 
in  this  environment  are,  with  a  very  high  average, 
defectives,  through  lack  of  proper  care  and  nourish- 
ment. The  army  of  the  unemployed  are  filled  to  a 
high  percentage  from  these  sweated  workers.  The 
How  needs  no  argument  to  make  clear. 

Child  and  Woman  Employment  are  also  a  direct 
and  fruitful  cause  of  unemployment.  These,  it  is 
true,  are  some  of  the  resulting  evils  of  our  industrial 
progress.  The  evils  as  such  are  not  the  result  of 
progress,  but  rather  the  results  of  man's  cupidity, 
in  taking  the  wrong  advantage  of  progress.  Child 
and  woman's  labor  came  in  with  the  factory  system, 
and  no  one  will  attempt  to  deny  that  this  system  is  a 
great  step  in  advance  of  its  predecessor.  The  de- 
mands— social  and  industrial  — are  for  manufac- 
turing on  a  large  scale,  thus  the  machine,  and  the 
man  with  a  machine,  came  to  be  a  demand.  The 
industrial  revolution  had  been  coming  on  for  at 
least  300  years,  and  men  were  preparing  for  it. 
The  factory  system  came  to  meet  a  demand  for  a 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         53 

reduction  in  the  cost  of  production.  This  is  one  of 
the  laws  of  business  as  forced  into  being  by  the 
needs  of  our  civilization.  The  employment  of  wo- 
men and  children  is  a  matter  of  adjustment  to  a 
changed  industrial  condition.  Coexisting  with  the 
larger  demand  of  the  factories,  for  a  larger  supply 
of  help,  was  the  fact  that,  for  household  purposes, 
the  need  was  over-supplied.  The  shorter  hours, 
and  better  pay  became  a  bait,  and  allured  the  wo- 
men to  the  shops  and  factories.  At  first,  for  a  long 
period  of  years,  this  kind  of  labor  was  greatly 
abused.  The  conditions  under  which  women  lived, 
and  the  fact  they  could  be  employed  at  much  lower 
wages  than  man,  led  to  their  being  employed  on  a 
longer  and  larger  scale.  They  were  even  being  em- 
ployed in  the  mines.  A  desire  for  profit,  and  for 
the  highest  interest  on  the  capital  invested,  led  to 
the  employment  not  only  of  women,  but  also  of 
children.  About  the  beginning  of  the  year  1 800  the 
abuse  resulting  from  women  and  child  labor  began 
to  be  felt.  The  eyes  of  England,  to  the  terrible 
abuses,  became  opened,  by  what  is  known  in  the  his- 
tory of  labor,  as  "pauper  apprentice."  This  was 
the  practice  of  workhouses  (county  houses)  to  rent 
out  the  children  housed  there,  for  so  much  money. 
This  abuse  soon  led  to  a  horrible  traffic  in  children. 
Traders  scoured  the  country  to  buy  children,  as  if 
they  bought  cattle.  These  children  then,  were  prac- 
tically sold  for  a  higher  figure  to  the  factories, 


54  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

where  they  became  nothing  but  slaves.  Not  only 
the  misery,  but  also  the  waste  of  human  life  became 
frightful.  The  moral  sense  of  the  country  was 
roused;  parliament  took  action,  and  the  law  of 
1802  was  passed.  Soon,  however,  a  way  to  avoid 
the  restrictions  of  this  law,  was  devised.  Children, 
whom  the  law  of  1802  did  not  protect  became  the 
victims.  Abuses  again  prevailed,  and  such  is  the 
history  of  industry  to  the  present  day.  Children 
who  were  secured  by  this  last  attempt,  as  young  as 
six  years  old  and  younger,  were  brought  into  the 
factories  and  they  had  to  work  a  16  hours  day. 
Several  Commissions  under  the  auspices  of  Parlia- 
ment were  formed.  These  Commissions  reported 
and  their  reports  became  the  foundations  for  form- 
ing and  passing  several  laws,  which  corrected,  and 
curbed  the  abuses.  In  the  year  1842,  it  was  found 
that  these  laws  again  were  inefficient,  as  children 
under  13  years  old,  were  found  working  in  the 
mines.  This  led  to  the  passing  of  the  laws  (Eng- 
land) of  1842,  prohibiting  the  employment  in 
mines  of  women  and  children.  Since  then  the  bat- 
tle of  decency  and  right  against  man's  cupidity  in 
business  has  been  going  on  in  various  countries. 
Notwithstanding,  these  conditions  today,  as  to  the 
employment  of  women  and  children  in  factories,  are 
deplorable,  especially  in  the  Southern  States  (U. 
S.).  Comparing  the  employment  of  women  and 
children  in  the  United  States  with  England,  our 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         55 

country  has  the  advantage.  Of  course  this  sentence 
should  be  quahfied.  We  have  gained  by  England's 
experiments  with  the  problem.  In  the  United  States 
we  have  no  pauper  apprentice  problem ;  women  and 
girls  have  never  been  employed  in  mines ;  we  have 
profited  in  the  building  of  factories;  certain  em- 
ployments in  England  have  not  been  found  in  the 
United  States;  wages  of  women  are  higher  in  the 
United  States;  corrective  and  prohibitive  legisla- 
tion has  controlled  the  situation  earlier. 

It  may  be  emphatically  stated,  the  morale  of  the 
factory  women  in  the  United  States  is  much  higher. 
Child  and  woman  labor  has  of  late  years  materially 
increased.  In  the  year  1880,  16.8  per  cent,  of  chil- 
dren, were  employed  as  compared  with  18.2  per 
cent,  in  1900.  This  takes  the  average  for  the  year 
1900.  Looking  more  carefully  into  facts  we  find 
that  10.2  per  cent,  of  girls  for  this  year  were  em- 
ployed as  against  26.1  per  cent,  of  boys.  The 
growth  in  the  employing  of  children  between  10 
and  15  years  old  has  exceeded  the  growth  of  popu- 
lation. Children  employment  predominate  in  the 
South,  while  the  predominancy  in  the  North  Atlan- 
tic States  is  that  of  Women.  But  fast  as  we  find  the 
increase  in  child  labor,  that  of  woman  even  exceeds. 
The  paradox  is, — the  women  bread-winners  have 
increased  faster  than  the  male,  and  even  than  the 
female  population.  In  the  returns  for  the  year 
1900,  we  find  that  domestic  and  personal  occupa- 


56  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

tions  had  1,953,467  women;  agriculture  770,055; 
professional  429,497.  These  facts  give  us  a  glance 
on  the  extent  of  this  condition  amongst  us.  The 
glass  industry  employs  more  children,  while  the 
textile  employ  more  women.  In  this  connection 
13.3  per  cent,  of  children  are  employed,  and  41.9 
women.  The  evils  attending  the  employment  of 
these  classes,  we  would  like  to  dwell  upon  at  large. 
But  owing  to  our  subject,  we  can  only  point  to  such 
evils.  The  evils  to  children,  besides  the  moral  (the 
greatest)  are  physically, — the  retarding  of  the  phy- 
sical development,  and  more  or  less  its  ruin.  The 
state  thus  loses  a  high  percentage  of  her  citizens, 
and  it  is  placed  under  an  enormous  expense  to  care 
for  those  who  are  physically  wrecked.  Individual 
and  corporations  get  the  benefit,  when  these  em- 
ployees are  able,  but  soon  they  are  unable,  and  so 
they  become  a  public  charge,  to  be  cared  for  by  the 
taxpayers.  Besides  these,  there  are  other  evils,  es- 
pecially in  connection  with  the  employment  of  wo- 
men. Their  feminine  susceptibilities  are  blunted 
and  hardened,  thus  they  are  made  unfit  for  mother- 
hood; if  married,  home  has  to  be  neglected  during 
employment.  But  the  matter  that  concerns  us  most 
in  the  treatment  of  this  subject,  is  its  relation  to  the 
employed,  and  its  effect  on  the  unemployed.  While 
this  is  presented  keep  in  mind  the  large  number  of 
children  and  women  who  are  employed.  Think  also 
of  the  low,  and  inadequate  pay,  as  a  rule,  this  class 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         57 

of  labor  commands.  Then  think  also  of  the  lower 
demands  on  women,  as  to  the  maintenance  of  life, 
— they  generally  live  cheaper.  What  makes  the  em- 
ployment of  children  and  women,  so  dangerous  is 
its  competition  with  the  labor  of  men.  We  find  cap- 
able men  underbid  by  women's  and  children's  com- 
petition, and  this  is  keen  as  to  wages.  In  many  cases 
the  men  are  thrown  out  of  employment.  Then  the 
inadequate  pay  to  the  women  and  children  does  not 
compensate  for  the  loss  of  employment  by  the  head 
of  the  family.  And  besides,  in  a  large  number  of 
cases,  yea  most,  this  is  the  rule.  In  proportion  as 
the  wife  and  children  contribute  to  the  support  of 
the  family  the  wages  of  the  father  are  reduced.  We 
close  this  section  by  stating,  that  statistics  in  all 
countries  prove  that  the  employment  of  women  and 
children,  throws  out  of  employment  annually,  a 
very  large  number  of  able-bodied  men.  For  exact 
datas  as  far  as  can  be  gathered  see  the  Reports  of 
the  English  Government,  and  those  of  our  Bureau 
of  Labor. 

Industrial  Disputes,  Strikes,  etc.  These  disputes 
may  be  considered  as  naturally  belonging  to  the 
wage  system.  But  if  the  wage  scale  is  right  such 
should  not  be  the  case.  Whatever  about  this  fea- 
ture of  the  question,  it  is  a  matter  of  fact,  that  when 
disputes  prevail,  the  unemployed  are  more  numer- 
ous. In  the  late  coal  strike  in  England,  the  per- 
centage of  the  unemployed  was  twice  as  high.    The 


58  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

same  percentage  in  comparison,  was  the  case  last 
winter  in  Colorado,  and  Virginia.  When  these 
troubles  occur  the  people  are  made  poorer,  and  the 
longer  the  difficulties  last,  the  longer  the  poverty.  If 
there  is  an  interlocking  of  interests  with  other  busi- 
nesses, the  question  becomes  more  intricate,  and 
more  men  are  thrown  out  of  employment.  Then 
other  trades  in  time,  are  affected.  Thus  industrial 
disputes  lead  directly  to  throw  out  of  employment  a 
large  number  of  men.  One  thing  at  least  is  very 
encouraging,  strikes  are  not  increasing  as  rapidly  as 
the  industrial  population  increases.  It  is  a  general 
belief  that  trade  unions  are  acting  as  checks.  But 
until  very  lately  the  condition  was  serious.  In  the 
report  of  the  Industrial  Commission,  for  a  period 
of  20  years,  up  to  the  year  1900  we  find  there  were 
330,000  persons,  annually  thrown  out  of  employ- 
ment. During  this  period  the  actual  time  lost  by 
the  men  thrown  out  was  194,000,000  days.  But  the 
actual  result,  as  it  appears  on  the  surface,  is  not  so 
extreme.  When  the  right  percentage  of  loss  is 
taken,  results  will  be  modified  somewhat,  yet  with 
this  fact  in  mind,  conditions  have  been  very  unsatis- 
factory, and  trying. 

Sickness,  especially  tuberculosis,  is  a  source  of  a 
high  percentage  of  unemployment.  Until  very  late- 
ly, this  was  caused  too  often,  by  unsanitary  shops  to 
work  in,  also  exposure,  lack  of  nourishing,  and 
properly  cooked  food.    To  this  also  should  be  add- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         59 

ed,  overcrowded,  and  unsanitary  homes.  Do  not 
forget,  however,  that  much  of  all  these  conditions 
can  be  charged  to  industrial  injustice.  As  insurance 
for  sickness  will  become  more  general  and  records 
kept,  the  percentage  of  the  unemployed  owing  to 
sickness  will  be  better  known,  and  also  its  source. 

Machinery.  It  is  granted  on  every  side,  that  the 
introduction  of  machinery  into  any  trade  augments 
the  army  of  unemployed.  At  first  the  introduction 
of  machinery  threw  a  large  number  of  men  out  of 
work.  The  men  who  could  the  quickest  adapt  them- 
selves to  these  devices  were  the  first  to  be  re-em- 
ployed. Amongst  all  classes  of  workmen,  at  first, 
their  was  a  revolt  against  the  machine.  In  England 
the  net  result  of  introducing  machinery  was  to  di- 
minish employment.  This  is  the  experience  every- 
where. A  larger  number  of  men  have  been  thrown 
to  other  employments  where  machinery  has  been 
introduced.  Even  where  the  men  are  reconciled,  to 
the  innovation,  everywhere  machinery  has  caused  a 
great  irregularity  of  work.  Much  of  this  is  caused 
by  the  inability  of  industry  to  adjust  itself  to  the 
larger  output.  By  this  time  however,  the  most  in- 
teUigent  workmen  look  on  machinery  as  labor  sav- 
ing devices,  and  aids,  and  adapt  themselves  to  the 
conditions.  We  also  find  that  l^ade  Unions  look 
on  the  introduction  of  machinery  as  inevitable, 
though  they  supplant  men,  and  their  effort  now  is 
to  regulate  their  introduction,  so  as  to  minimize  un- 


6o  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

employment. 

Supply  and  Demand  of  Labor  is  one  of  the  par 
excellent  causes,  when  not  adjusted — of  unemploy- 
ment. Running  parallel  with  supply  and  demand, 
or  rather  affecting  its  condition  are  the  questions 
of  capital  and  land.  Between  these  there  is  a  close 
co-relation.  This  relation  will  be  more  clearly  seen 
in  the  older  countries  with  land  monopoly.  And 
again  we  find,  as  industrial  economic  factors  these 
three;  industrial  structure;  fluctuations  in  industrial 
activity;  and  reserve  of  labor.  All  three  are  very 
closely  related  to  the  supply  and  demand  of  labor. 
There  are  other  features  bearing  closely  on  our  sub- 
ject. One  is  a  sudden  and  a  large  increase  of  popu- 
lation, and  the  over  or  the  undersupply  of  materials 
for  the  markets.  Then  closely  allied  is  the  brisk- 
ness or  slowness  of  sales.  The  condition  of  the  in- 
dustrial market  will  at  once  tell  on  the  condition  of 
labor.  It  is  almost  a  truism  to  say,  that  the  demand 
for  labor,  at  once,  affects  its  supply,  and  to  this  ex- 
tent the  unemployed  are  affected.  In  the  i8th  cen- 
tury we  find  as  a  matter  of  history,  that  the  indus- 
trial revolution  led  to  the  growth  of  population, 
and  thus  the  supply  of  labor  was  affected.  Then  on 
the  other  hand  when  the  supply  of  labor  is  short, 
two  things  at  least  follow.  Wages  are  raised,  and 
an  extra  effort  is  made  to  meet  the  demand.  And 
the  reverse  is  true.  When  the  supply  Is  easy  to  se- 
cure, wages  fall,  the  use  of  machinery  also  falls,  and 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         6i 

the  number  of  the  unemployed  is  kept  up.  Now, 
to  regulate  the  oversupply,  and  so  adjust  the  labor 
market,  it  is  good  to  have  available  land  to  turn 
there  the  oversupply  of  men.  Even  in  the  United 
States  this  has  proved  a  great  boon.  3,000,000 
acres  have  already  been  reclaimed.  This  drew  from 
the  crowded  labor  centres  a  large  number  of  men, 
who  otherwise  would  have  been  to  a  great  extent  in 
the  ranks  of  the  unemployed.  Our  government 
should  not  be  too  prodigal  of  the  100,000,000 
acres  still  unclaimed.  Another  thing  in  these  condi- 
tions that  forces  itself  to  the  front,  is  the  query,  as 
to  the  sufficiency  of  capital  to  co-operate  with  labor, 
and  thus  produce  raw  material.  When  this  is  se- 
cured, there  is  at  once  a  readjustment  in  the  labor 
market.  The  army  of  the  unemployed  is  at  once 
reduced.  If  there  is  no  available  land,  and  not  suf- 
ficient capital,  employment  is  scarce,  and  the  unem- 
ployed is  increased  to  the  extent  of  the  deficiency. 
We  are  here  faced  with  two  important  questions, 
constantly  asked :  "Is  labor  not  playing  a  constantly 
decreasing  part  in  production?"  "Does  population 
not  increase  faster  than  the  opportunity  for  employ- 
ment?" To  these  two  questions  we  are  not  sure,  if 
we  can  give  an  answer  that  will  satisfy  every  one, 
but  on  a  large  scale  we  believe  both  questions  can 
be  answered  in  the  negative.  In  our  country  with 
all  its  immigration,  we  find  that  industry  keeps  up 
with  it,  and  in  time,  the  disturbance  in  the  labor 


62  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

market  from  immigration  is  gradually  adjusted. 
And  even  with  the  introduction  of  machinery  there 
is  a  certain  adjustment.  Another  tendency  noticed  in 
the  labor  market  is  a  transference  from  the  poorer 
paid  employments,  to  the  better  paid.  This  helps  the 
adjustment.  Then  we  find  also  a  barometrical  rise 
in  wages,  which  tends  in  the  same  direction.  From 
the  year  1881  to  1901,  in  the  principal  industries, 
there  has  been  a  rise  in  wages  of  about  16  per  cent, 
and  in  actual  conditions,  the  figure  has  run  up  to 
29  per  cent.  This  affects  the  whole  field  of  labor. 
If  it  was  not  the  actual  condition,  the  unemployed 
would  be  more  numerous  than  they  are.  Capital 
while  at  times  somewhat  cornered,  has  been  ample, 
and  it  becomes  more  and  more  available.  As  con- 
ditions are  today,  there  will  be  no  lack  in  this 
source.  Now  where  the  excess  of  labor  over  the 
demand,  is  likely  to  prevail  is  in  the  less  skilled,  and 
unorganized  labor.  This  according  to  the  Reports 
of  Distress  Committees  has  been  the  condition.  Cer- 
tain economists  argue  that  an  increase  of  population 
does  not  affect  the  supply  of  labor.  But  explain  it  as 
they  may,  the  actual  state  of  the  labor  market  is 
this, — whatever  the  demand  of  the  labor  market, 
the  supply  exceeds  it.  This  is  certainly  a  paradox, 
and  facts  prohibit  its  ceasing  to  be  a  paradox.  Logic 
here  cannot  do  away  with  facts,  if  it  can  any- 
where. The  fact  remains — the  supply  of  labor,  ex- 
ceeds the  demand,  and  thus  the  number  of  the  un- 


The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed         63 

employed  are  not  reduced.  Here  we  are  confronted 
with  another  question:  "Why  should  there  be  two 
men  for  every  job?"  One  answer  is, — the  malad- 
justment of  the  labor  market.  The  other  answer  is 
— the  immobility  of  labor.  There  is  not  one  labor 
market,  but  many,  thus  the  difficulty  to  control  the 
supply. 

Fluctuations.  Of  these  there  are  many;  industrial, 
seasonal,  cyclical,  etc.  We  easily  grant  that  fluctua- 
tions if  they  could  be  controlled,  should  not  directly 
lead  to  unemployment.  They  are  not  controlled,  and 
so  they  do  lead  to  unemployment.  Rate  of  wages  has 
much  to  do  with  industrial  fluctuations.  Some  will 
ask — What  is  meant  by  fluctuation?  It  is  the 
changeable  character  of  the  demand  for  labor,  in 
any  single  separate  centre  of  demand.  This  applies 
to  industrial  fluctuations.  The  changeable  charac- 
ter of  the  demand,  is  measured  according  to  good 
writers  on  labor,  and  certain  economists,  by  the  dif- 
ference between  the  amount  of  labor  demanded,  in 
the  average  of  all  times,  and  the  amount  demanded 
in  the  average  of  good  or  bad  times  taken  separate- 
ly. In  a  centre  the  average  of  men  demanded,  we 
say  is  10,000.  When  times  improve  it  is  11,000 
men.  When  times  are  bad,  the  average  is  9,000. 
Thus  the  real  figure  of  fluctuation  is  a  1,000  in  or- 
dinary times.  If  it  is  desired  to  find  the  average  for 
the  whole,  apply  the  same  rule  if  possible  to  each 
centre,  and  add  them  together.    If  fluctuation  is  a 


64  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

cause  of  unemployment  in  one  labor  market,  it  may 
be  the  cause  in  the  whole.  Fluctuations  of  any  kind 
directly  lead  to  unemployment,  by  the  nature  of  the 
condition.  Every  trade  during  the  year  varies. 
Each  trade  and  factory  has  a  slack  and  busy  season. 
Some  trades  without  any  direct  cause  from  the  con- 
dition of  the  market  have  these. 

(a)  Seasonal  fluctuations  are  caused  by  the 
weather.  During  the  winter  months,  bricklayers, 
carpenters,  and  laborers  depending  on  these,  and 
other  outdoor  work  cannot  be  done.  This  is  a 
cause  of  a  lack  of  employment  that  cannot  be  direct- 
ly controlled  neither  by  the  market  nor  by  man.  A 
large  majority  of  the  men  following  these  occupa- 
tions are  compelled  to  be  idle  for  a  certain  number 
of  weeks.  During  this  period  they  are  on  an  aver- 
age unemployed.  With  the  exception  of  the  un- 
skilled workmen,  not  much  suffering  takes  place, 
and  unions  generally  provide  for  such  times  and 
conditions.  Nothing  can  be  done  to  control  the 
seasons,  but  what  of  the  men?  There  are  also  peri- 
odical shut  downs  in  certain  trades,  many  of  these 
without  an  apparent  cause  or  reason.  These  gen- 
erally are  irregular,  and  their  range  varies.  For  the 
time  being  such  actions  add  to  the  number  of  un- 
employed. Some  of  the  men  never  return  to  steady 
employment. 

(b)  Cyclical  Fluctuations — There  are  good  and 
bad  times  in  every  trade.    Often  these  are  caused  by 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         6^ 

the  state  of  the  market,  though  not  always.  These 
changes  seem  to  come  with  a  certain  regularity 
which  is  hard  to  explain.  For  6  years  from  1862, 
in  England  there  was  a  bad  time.  The  following 
four  years  things  improved  for  the  employed.  Such 
periods  continue  to  our  present  time.  What  are 
they?  Are  they  God's  way  of  controlling  industry? 
No  way  of  directly  controlling  them  has  yet  been 
found.  When  they  come,  they  seem  to  sweep  over 
a  nation,  and  sometimes  nations.  Unemployment 
becomes  the  rule,  and  employer,  and  employee  suf- 
fer. One  of  the  tangible  signs  of  the  coming  of 
such  times,  is  the  contraction  of  the  currency.  Such 
a  condition  struck  our  country  the  beginning  of  last 
year.  Another  sign  is  depression  of  business,  which 
ends  in  a  large  percentage  of  unemployment.  The 
reverse  condition  and  state  will  see  the  reverse  re- 
sults. Naturally  every  sane  man  will  be  led  to  ask, 
"What  is  the  cause  of  such  fluctuations?"  We  can- 
not do  better,  as  an  answer  than  to  give  the  views 
of  one  who  has  made  a  special  study  of  this  feature 
of  labor.  "Different  economic  or  fiscal  regulations 
established  by  custom  or  governmental  policies." 
"The  coming  of  industrial  depressions  seem  inevita- 
ble, and  the  time  of  their  coming  is  unknown  to 
man.  Viewing  their  recurrence  over  a  large  period 
of  years  these  fluctuations  vary  from  7  to  1 1  years. 
Various  explanations  are  given  as  to  why  they  come. 
The  fluctuation  of  the  volume  of  metal  currency,  in- 


66  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

volving  a  corresponding  rise  and  fall  of  prices.  Mis- 
direction of  productive  energy  leading  to  depres- 
sion." Overproduction.  Exceptional  development 
of  the  means  of  transit  and  production  in  the  years 
preceding.  Underconsumption.  These  various 
reasons  are  open  to  criticism.  As  to  the  first  with  a 
gold  standard  of  currency,  we  do  not  see  how  this 
reason  explains.  The  exceptional  development  of 
the  means  of  transit,  etc.,  does  not  explain,  all  the 
facts.  At  times  of  depression  do  not  all  trades  suf- 
fer, when  the  extent  of  the  depression  is  large.  Then 
underconsumption  as  an  explanation,  is  only  partial. 
Overproduction  and  underproduction  show — de- 
cidedly, "misdirection  of  productive  energy,"  and 
ignorance  of  the  market.  Overproduction  is  thus 
explained.  Business  houses  in  general,  collectively 
and  independently — finding  that  there  are  indica- 
tions that  a  certain  article  or  articles  are  much  need- 
ed in  the  market,  get  busy.  Each  producer  puts 
forth  an  extra  effort  to  secure  as  much  as  he  can  of 
this  supposed  new  demand.  A  number  of  such  pro- 
ducers compete,  and  between  them  the  market  is 
overstocked.  For  the  time  extra  labor  is  demanded, 
then  comes  the  slump,  and  unemployment  results. 
Calling  a  spade  by  its  right  name  such  a  conduct  is 
the  result  of  ignorance  or  selfishness,  or  both.  To 
be  milder,  it  is  miscalculation  through  ignorance. 
Whatever  it  is  its  injury  to  the  workingman  re- 
mains.    One  fact  remains — the  greater  the  fluctua- 


The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed  67 

tions  the  greater  the  number  of  unemployed. 

Wages.  Adam  Smith  as  to  wages  says,  "Wages 
like  everything  else  are  governed  by  supply  and  de- 
mand, and  in  the  aggregate,  they  depend  upon  the 
proportion  of  laborers  to  the  capital  available  for 
employing  labor."  Malthus  argues  that  "increase  in 
wages,  will  increase  those  who  call  for  wages,  and 
this  will  reduce  the  wages."  In  other  words, — the 
greater  the  number  of  laborers  and  workmen,  the 
lower  the  wages.  Then  when  the  supply  increases 
to  such  a  point,  which  has  often  occurred,  that  no 
living  wages  can  be  obtained,  then  there  is  a  large 
swelling  of  the  ranks  of  the  unemployed.  It  is  here 
that  a  heavy  emigration  is  dangerous.  Ricardo  the 
economist  says — "When  the  number  of  laborers  is 
increased,  wages  fall  to  their  natural  price."  This 
teacher  says  that  the  natural  price  of  labor  is  that — 
"which  is  necessary  to  enable  the  laborers  to  sub- 
sist and  propagate  their  race  without  increase  or  di- 
minution. The  market  price  of  labor,  is  the  price 
which  is  really  paid  for  it  from  the  natural  opera- 
tion of  the  proportion  of  the  supply  to  the  de- 
mand." Labor  is  cheap  when  there  is  an  oversup- 
ply,  thus  a  large  reserve  of  labor  keeps  down  wages 
and  the  contrary  prevails  when  labor  is  scarce.  The 
German  Socialist  theory  is  this — Wages  under  com- 
petition, can  never  be  higher  than  that  which  will 
just  support  the  laborer  and  enable  him  to  renew 
his  kind.    The  German  view  is  upheld  by  the  argu- 


68  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

ment,  that  the  laborer  could  not  be  sufficiently  edu- 
cated so  his  condition  be  raised  to  the  extent  of 
avoiding  overpopulation,  and  that  the  only  way  to 
regulate  wages  was  by  putting  a  stop  to  competi- 
tion. This  is  the  Socialistic  view.  The  iron  law 
of  Lasalle  is  unbending.  There  is  another  theory, 
viz, — Wages  depend  upon  the  productivity  of  la- 
bor, and  not  capital.  Wages  depend  upon  what  the 
product  will  produce.  This  seems  natural,  and  is 
very  generally  received  by  writers  on  economic  ques- 
tions. But  intelligent  workmen  argue  against  it, 
on  the  ground  that  the  very  competition  of  abund- 
ant capital,  and  temporary  rise  of  wages,  for  capi- 
tal more  and  more  uses  machinery,  and  thus  throws 
on  the  market  more  skilled  workmen.  This  in- 
creases competition,  with  the  result  of  lowering 
wages.  The  smaller  concerns  will  not  be  able  to 
compete  with  the  large  ones.  Competition  still 
heightens,  wages  are  further  reduced,  and  more 
men  are  thrown  out  of  employment.  As  a  proof 
of  this,  it  is  claimed,  wealth  increases,  while  wages 
decrease.  One  class  becomes  wealthier,  the  other 
poorer.  In  this  connection  there  are  in  actuality 
many  paradoxes.  They  are  these — wages  are  bet- 
ter, an  oligarchy  is  becoming  wealthier  each  year, 
and  still  the  unemployed  are  increasing,  so  does 
poverty.  We  are  thus  forced  to  this  conclusion — 
Whatever  theory  as  to  wages  you  adopt,  and  how- 
ever high  you  may  aim  to  raise  the  standard  of  liv- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         69 

ing,  the  rule  in  labor  is,  men  will  receive  what 
wages  they  can  get,  rather  than  starve.  Then  an- 
other rule  in  practice  is  this — whatever  raw  mater- 
ial yields  of  profit,  plus  the  expense  of  manufactur- 
ing, the  workman  does  not  get  the  corresponding 
benefit.  Economic  theories  and  logic  are  nice  on  pa- 
per, but  they  do  not  lead  to  results  in  practice.  In 
the  face  of  all,  it  must  be  considered,  that  no  fast 
law  can  be  laid  down  as  to  wages,  for  they  depend 
on  many  intricate  causes,  besides  the  cupidity  of  the 
employer.  Plasticity  possibly  has  much  to  do  with 
conditions.  We  find  that  unemployment  is  likely  to 
be  greater,  the  more  rigidly  wage  rates  are  main- 
tained in  the  face  of  variations  in  the  demand  for 
labor.  This  also  affects  fluctuations.  In  a  recent 
report  of  the  British  Board  of  Trade  we  have  the 
following  statement:  "Trade  union  stand,  and  rates 
of  wages  do  not  prevail  in  Germany  to  the  same  ex- 
tent as  in  Great  Britain.  In  consequence,  work- 
people have  greater  liberty  in  accepting  work  at 
wages  lower  than  those  at  which  they  have  previ- 
ously been  employed,  especially  in  bad  times.  A 
more  speedy  return  to  employment  of  some  kind, 
and  a  consequent  reduction  in  the  percentage  of 
trade  union  members  unemployed  results  from 
this."  Let  us  now  glance  very  cursorily  on  actual 
facts  to  illustrate  the  points  mentioned.  The  an- 
nual earnings  by  employees  in  the  United  States  in- 
creased from  $247.38  in  the  year  1850  to  $445.85 


70  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

In  the  year  1890,  according  to  Mr.  Carroll  D. 
Wright.  It  is  claimed  according  to  statistics  pre- 
sented to  the  5  2d  Congress  that  from  the  year 
1873,  there  was  a  decrease  in  wages.  The  anoma- 
lies are  palpable.  Who  is  correct?  The  question 
is  often  asked — Are  conditions  as  to  wages  im- 
proving or  not?  We  are  sorry  to  have  to  confess — 
there  is  no  clear  vision,  and  taking  a  wide  survey, 
many  emphatically  declare — "The  workman  was 
never  so  prosperous  as  he  is  now,  the  condition  of 
the  workman  during  the  last  60  years  has  vastly  im- 
proved." But  is  this  not  due  to  the  general  condi- 
tion of  the  country,  and  not  directly  owing  to  better 
wages,  in  face  of  such  a  condition.  The  multimil- 
lionaires who  can  afford  smoking  their  cigarettes 
wrapped  in  $100  papers,  and  the  squalor  in  the 
same  city  of  New  York,  do  not  correspond.  The 
increase  in  the  army  of  the  unemployed  in  the  same 
city,  has  also  a  clear  testimony.  For  an  American 
view,  favorable  to  the  condition  of  the  working- 
man,  see  Carroll  D.  Wright's,  "The  Industrial 
Evolution  in  the  United  States."  However,  at  the 
same  time  remember  Dr.  Spahr  declares  the  figures 
on  which  Mr.  Wright  bases  his  conclusions  are, 
"utterly  unreliable."  Thus  the  difficulty  to  arrive 
at  any  intelligent  conclusions.  The  contention  is, 
that  the  cost  of  living  has  so  increased  as  to  mater- 
ially reduce  every  advantage  received  by  the  amount 
paid  for  labor.    Thus  at  best,  In  the  face  of  all,  we 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         71 

cannot  fail  to  see  that  the  step  between  employment 
and  unemployment,  is  but  a  very  short  one, 
and  that  very  delicate  changes  can  throw  a  large 
number  to  the  ranl<:s  of  the  unemployed.  Wages 
today  are  not  on  such  basis  as  to  be  a  barrier.  In 
view  of  conditions  they  are  no  barrier. 

The  Short  Hour  Movement,  or,  "The  Eight 
Hour  Philosophy,"  so  called,  does  it,  or  does  it 
not,  prevent  unemployment.  It  does  so,  some  claim 
by  increasing  wages.  This  it  does  in  two  ways, 
(i)  By  reducing  enforced  idleness.  (2)  By  cre- 
ating new  wants,  and  raise  the  standard  of  living. 
Let  us  see  how  this  actually  works.  Take  8,000,- 
000  adult  laborers,  and  reduce  their  day  by  2  hours. 
This  will  withdraw  16,000,000  hours'  labor  a  day 
without  discharging  a  single  laborer.  This  would 
be  equal  to  increasing  the  demand  for  labor  20  per 
cent.  In  other  words  a  labor  day  of  8  hours  would 
create  employment  for  2,000,000  men.  The  mar- 
ket for  commodities,  they  claim,  in  the  same  ratio 
would  be  enlarged.  We  at  once  grant  that  as  a  di- 
rect improvement,  physically,  mentally,  and  relig- 
iously, (if  well  used),  such  a  philosophy  would 
benefit  the  race.  But  after  all  is  this  not  a  theory 
unverified  by  actual  results  as  to  unemployment. 
Conditions  must  fit  such  a  philosophy,  but  do  they 
today?  I  hope  they  do.  It  is  claimed  today,  that 
with  long  hours,  and  increase  of  machinery,  the 
market  will  be  overstocked,  decrease  of  wages,  and 


72  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

unemployment  must  follow.  Anything  that  will 
elevate  the  status  of  the  workingman  will  be  hailed. 
But  what  is  the  actual  result  of  the  Short  Hour 
Movement?  Morally  and  religiously,  matters 
have  not  improved  where  it  has  been  introduced. 
Industrially  we  know  the  Socialists  strongly  claim 
that  the  reverse  of  its  helpfulness,  is  true.  One  of 
their  leading  men  uses  these  words,  "Reducing  the 
hours  of  labor  will  not  employ  the  unemployed,  or 
at  least  will  not  employ  them  as  fast  as  improve- 
ments in  machinery  and  other  things.  Rather  it  will 
create  more  unemployed."  Another  of  their  argu- 
ments is  this — (it)  "is  powerless  to  check  the  phe- 
nomena of  so  called  overproduction,  unemploy- 
ment and  the  breakdown  of  the  whole  present  in- 
dustrial system."  And  we  find  the  strongest  advo- 
cates of  the  movement,  granting  it  is  not  a  panacea 
for  unemployment.  They  say,  the  system  has  not 
been  sufficiently  tried.  We  claim  that  under  the 
present  industrial  conditions,  the  Short  Hour  sys- 
tem will  create  more  unemployed.  Its  quota  of 
such  is  possibly  not  large. 

Immobility  of  Labor.  This  is  the  reverse  con- 
dition of  mobility  and  placticity.  The  country  and 
especially  unions,  are  becoming  more  and  more 
alive  to  the  importance  of  this  condition.  Through 
lack  of  information,  and  poverty,  in  time  past,  la- 
bor was  almost  stationary.  When  a  man  lost  his 
job  in  one  place,  unless  he  could  find  another  within 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         73 

an  easy  walking  distance,  he  settled  down  to  idle- 
ness. Now  it  has  come  to  be  thoroughly  known, 
that  every  improvement  in  the  mobility  of  labor, 
diminishes  the  reserve  of  labor  in  localities.  Thus 
the  volume  of  unemployment  is  reduced.  The  more 
rigid  the  immobility  of  labor,  the  more  direct,  and 
greater  the  volume  or  number  of  the  unemployed. 
All  the  new  methods  of  dealing  with  the  unem- 
ployed are  paying  special  attention  to  this  point. 
Such  is  true  of  the  Labor  Exchange  Act  of  England 
and  the  efforts  of  the  Bureau  of  Labor  of  the 
United  States.  They  make  an  effort  to  give  all  the 
information  possible,  and  even  provide  aid  to  meet 
this  very  point.  Thus  the  overcrowding  of  the  la- 
bor market  in  various  sections,  should  not  now  be 
so  wide-spread,  and  difficult  to  handle.  It  has  been 
all  along  hard  to  move  men  from  an  overcrowded 
market,  to  an  undersupplied  market.  This  is  es- 
pecially true  when  we  try  to  move  men  from  one 
trade  to  another.  But  with  education,  information, 
and  other  means,  this  is  becoming  easier.  Immo- 
bility of  labor,  certainly  has  been  one  fruitful  cause 
of  unemployment.    Lack  of  plasticity  is  another. 


V 


HOW  THE  PROBLEM  HAS  BEEN  TREAT- 
ED IN  THE  PAST  BY  VARIOUS  PEOPLE 

A  S  this  is  a  large  subject,  we  cannot  here  enter 
into  it  as  its  merits  deserve.  Whoever  will  study 
the  question  from  this  standpoint  will  be  convinced 
the  methods  were  not  always  on  the  right  lines,  and 
consequently  the  results  were  not  satisfactory.  Ac- 
cording to  knowledge,  possibly  it  was  as  good  an 
effort,  as  might  be.  Is  it  not  true,  that  in  the  past 
many  thought  the  problem  could  not  be  solved.  We 
do  not  find  the  effort  in  many  directions  was  to 
reach  the  cause.  Rather  it  was  too  much  an  effort 
at  ameliorating  a  condition.  In  many  cases  the  ef- 
fort proved  only  an  added  fuel  to  a  flame,  or  more 
poison  to  an  already  over  septic  state.  The  Eng- 
lish people  for  years,  were  satisfied  with  charity  in- 
stitutions, and  private  gifts.  Government  coped 
with  the  condition  with  Its  Poor  House,  and  reliev- 
ing methods.  There  was  no  effort  to  get  at  real 
facts;  no  effort  at  discrimination  between  the  true 
unemployed  and  the  vagrant;  no  separation  of  the 
various  classes  of  those  who  applied  for  relief.  In 
the  whole  business  there  was  no  intelligent  action. 
This  led  to  the  coining  daily  more  paupers  and  the 

74 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         75 

augmenting  of  the  army  of  unemployed.  Some  of 
the  countries  on  the  continent  of  Europe  caught  the 
gleam,  and  they  tried  to  meet  the  problem  in  a 
more  scientific  way.  Glancing  back  a  hundred  years, 
besides  direct  relief,  we  find  the  colony  method  was 
used  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  unemployed. 
As  early  as  the  year  18 18,  we  find  the  first  colony 
for  this  object  established,  in  Holland,  at  Freder- 
ickswoord  in  Friesland.  The  founder  of  this  col- 
ony had  two  ideas,  which  were  "Help  the  people, 
improve  the  land."  We  find  at  that  time,  this  land 
was  a  virgin  soil.  There  were  small  holdings  and 
free  farms.  At  first  the  men  were  placed  on  the 
land  entirely  under  the  care  of  the  colony.  Here 
they  were  trained,  and  fitted  for  the  work.  As  soon 
as  such  men  were  ready,  and  could  be  relied  on,  they 
were  placed  on  the  farms.  Germany  and  England 
finally  took  up  the  method.  Under  the  control  of 
the  president  of  the  local  government  board,  we 
find  such  a  colony  at  Hollesley  Bay,  Suffolk,  Eng- 
land. There  are  others  also  in  this  country  (Eng.) . 
But  they  have  not  been  conducted  as  they  should, 
thus  they  have  not  reached  as  they  should,  a  full  de- 
gree of  success.  Much  of  this  failure  was  caused, 
by  lack  of  classification,  on  the  men  received  into 
the  colonies.  Those  in  charge  seemed  to  be  more 
swayed  by  the  idea  of  charity,  than  that  of  the 
training  of  good,  sturdy  citizens.  Neither  did  thef 
draw  the  line  hard  enough,  between  the  genuinely 


76  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

unemployed  and  the  inefficient  classes.  In  England 
trade  unions,  have  been  well  used  to  reach  the  un- 
employed. These  by  a  more  intelligent  way  of 
classifying  workmen;  raising  the  standard  of  la- 
bor; providing  sick  and  unemployment  benefits  for 
their  members,  have  not  only  opened  a  path,  show- 
ing the  way  partially  to  deal  with  the  unemployed, 
but  also,  they  have  actually  reduced  the  number  of 
the  unemployed  in  their  own  trades.  As  this  is 
only  a  partial  review  of  what  has  been  done,  and 
not  an  exhaustive  treatment,  we  pass  many  of  the 
methods  used  in  France,  and  point  only  to  one  thing 
which  is  highly  instructive  and  helpful.  I  now  refer 
to  the  establishment  in  France  of  the  Ecoles  Ma- 
ternelles.  Classes  de  Garde.  The  purpose  of  these 
is  to  provide  for,  and  take  care  of  young  children, 
so  the  parents,  especially  the  mothers,  can  go  out  to 
work.  They  need  not  to  lose  their  work  to  take 
care  of  the  children,  these  institutions  do  this.  These 
children  are  also  taught  in  the  various  grades  to 
which  they  belong.  Any  intelligent  mind  will  see 
the  many  points  of  advantage  such  a  method  gives, 
and  how  thus,  these  people  are  kept  from  the  ranks 
of  the  unemployed.  Germany  has  her  own  special 
methods  of  dealing  with  the  problem.  Early  in  the 
modern  treatment  of  unemployment,  this  country 
became  prominent  in  her  introduction  and  use  of 
insurance  against  sickness  and  unemployment.  The 
insurance  system  of  Germany  is  far  reaching,  and 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         77 

is  compulsory.  There  is  on  the  part  of  the  Ger- 
man authorities  an  effort  at  finding  out,  who  is  re- 
sponsible for  poverty,  and  of  course  unemployment. 
The  compensation  for  meeting  such  a  condition  is 
demanded  from  what  has  caused  the  condition.  It 
is  hard,  in  every  case  to  place  the  responsibility,  but 
a  strict  effort  is  made.  Germany  has  found  that 
much  of  the  poverty  and  unemployment  rests  on 
Society,  and  here  comes  the  burden  of  responsibil- 
ity. On  the  other  hand,  it  has  found  that,  "the  80 
per  cent,  of  all  accidents  in  industry  is  due  to  pro- 
fessional risks  of  industry  itself."  Then  here,  the 
industries,  and  not  the  individuals  bear  the  burden, 
which  is  the  cost  of  the  insurance.  Another  very 
marked  feature  of  the  German  plan  is  to  conserve 
all  they  can.  They  have  found  that  disease,  es- 
pecially tuberculosis,  is  the  cause  of  a  great  indus- 
trial loss,  and  amongst  others,  that  of  unemploy- 
ment. The  sanitary  conditions,  especially  of  shops 
and  factories,  are  carefully  watched.  A  special  ef- 
fort is  made  to  cure  disease.  Then  the  German 
Government  employs  special  scientific  men  to  de- 
vise means  of  protection  to  workmen,  while  at  their 
work,  thus  they  are  not  thrown  out  unprotected 
when  they  are  disabled,  and  accidents  there,  are  not 
frequent.  While  her  insurance  plan  to  meet  unem- 
ployment is  not  as  good  as  the  modern  English 
plan,  yet  she  was  the  pioneer  in  this  work.  In  this 
country,  the  Government  does  everything  it  can  to 


78  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

encourage  thrift,  and  to  prevent  the  existence  of  a 
pauper  class. 

Comparatively  young  as  Australia  and  her  sister 
colonies  are,  yet  we  find  they  have  heroically  made 
an  effort  to  meet  the  problem  of  the  unemployed. 
As  to  this  condition,  some  of  their  laws  are  excel- 
lent. The  feature  in  the  treatment  of  labor  condi- 
tions in  Australia  is,  that  these  people  have  tried  to 
solve  the  problem  by  Legislation.  While  some  of 
these  laws  were  primarily  directed  against  the 
sweating  system,  yet  in  their  general  application 
they  reach  a  much  wider  circle.  Mr.  Percy  Alden 
of  England  in  his  book,  "Democratic  England," 
gives  us  a  good  resume  of  certain  legislative  acts 
of  Australia,  New  Zealand,  New  South  Wales,  etc. 
Japan,  at  the  close  of  its  war  with  Russia,  solved  in 
great  measure  the  problem  of  the  unemployed  that 
threatened  her  at  the  disbanding  of  her  army.  Ja- 
pan shifted  the  thousands  of  her  disbanded  army  to 
the  land,  and  such  soldiers  became  farmers.  Thus 
the  vast  army  of  unemployed  that  threatened  her, 
was  solved,  by  turning  these  soldiers  into  thrifty 
citizens.  Now  let  us  turn  back  to  England,  and 
look  on  her  late  efforts  at  solving  the  Problem  of 
the  unemployed.  England  was  in  a  very  different 
position  to  either  Australia  or  Japan.  She  had  no 
available  land  in  the  British  Isles.  Her  only  open- 
ing in  this  direction  was  her  colonies.  But  no  spec- 
ial effort  was  made  as  far  as  we  know  to  offer 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         79 

special  inducements  to  emigrate.  One  great  source 
of  unemployment  in  England  was  the  Sweating  Sys- 
tem. Mr.  Percy  Alden  raises  the  curtain  for  us  to 
see  some  of  the  last  efforts  to  cope  with  this  system, 
and  other  labor  questions.  This  effort  was  the  result 
of  the  Fifth  Report  from  the  Select  Committee  of 
the  House  of  Lords  ( 1 890)  and  based  upon  it.  The 
part  bearing  on  our  subject  is  this,  "It  may  be  said 
that  the  inefficiency  of  the  workers,  early  marriage, 
and  the  tendency  of  the  residium  of  the  population 
in  large  towns  to  form  a  helpless  community,  to- 
gether with  a  low  standard  of  life — and  the  ex- 
cessive supply  of  unskilled  labor,  are  the  chief  fac- 
tors in  producing  sweating.  Moreover  a  large  sup- 
ply of  cheap  female  labor  is  available  by  reason  of 
the  fact  that  married  women  working  at  unskilled 
labor  in  their  homes,  in  the  intervals  between  at- 
tending to  their  domestic  duties  and  not  wholly  sup- 
porting themselves,  can  afford  to  work  at  what 
would  be  starvation  wages  to  unmarried  women. 
Such  being  the  conditions  of  the  labor  market, 
abundant  materials  exist  to  supply  the  unscrupu- 
lous employer  with  his  wretched  dependent  work- 
ers." Another  movement  to  deal  with  the  question 
was  the  passing  through  Parliament  of  the  Trade 
Boards  Act  of  1909.  The  Trade  Board  fixes  a 
minimum  rate  of  wages  for  time  work,  and  a  gen- 
eral minimum  rate  of  wages  for  piece  work  in  cer- 
tain trades.     Then  we  have  the  Labor  Exchanges 


8o  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

Act  of  1909,  an  excellent  Act,  and  far  superior  to 
the  German.  By  this  law  the  Exchanges  are  classi- 
fied and  marked  as  A,  B,  C.  The  whole  country  is 
divided,  and  there  is  an  excellent  telephonic  and 
telegraphic  connection  between  all  the  exchanges. 
It  provides  also  that  every  village  post  office  con- 
tains and  has  to  keep  an  employment  register. 
These  Exchanges  can  advance  loans  for  meeting  the 
travelling  expenses  of  workmen  to  seek  work,  thus 
making  possible  mobility  of  labor.  On  the  various 
committees  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  Exchanges 
various  trades  are  represented. 


VI 


SOLUTION  OF  THE  PROBLEM— AN  EF- 
FORT AT 

'  I  *HE  first  thing  is  to  know  where  we  are  at.  Be- 
fore the  medical  man  will  apply  his  remedy,  he 
makes  the  best  diagnosis  he  can.  The  failure  to 
treat  physical  disease  primarily,  is  the  failure  to 
make  the  right  diagnosis.  It  is  the  same  with  all 
other  diseases,  whether  civil,  moral  or  spiritual. 
Then  in  industry  and  labor,  the  imperative  demand 
is — Know  the  condition.  As  soon  as  this  is  done, 
extricate  every  foreign  substance  that  causes  the 
inflammation.  Every  inflammation — even  fever — ■ 
is  caused  by  a  foreign  substance.  The  way  to  ac- 
count for  the  unemployed  is — there  is  a  foreign 
substance  in  the  social  and  industrial  bodies.  Then 
use  your  scalpel.  Get  a  clean  wound.  Wounds  heal 
from  the  bottom  upwards.  Use  antiseptics  and 
proper  drainage  tubes.  After  this  take  care  of 
and  build  up  the  general  health,  so  as  to  get  good 
blood.  This  is  the  only  way  to  deal  with  the  dis- 
ease of  the  unemployed.  The  process  because  of 
the  long  and  firm  hold  of  the  disease,  will  demand 
a  long  as  well  as  a  severe  treatment,  but  the  results 
will  justify  any  means  for  the  riddance  of  this  pes- 

8i 


82  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

tered  sore.  There  is  a  need  to  be  heroic.  Do  not 
look  upon  the  unemployed  as  if  looking  on  a  simple 
indisposition  of  the  civic  and  industrial  body,  which 
will  be  relieved  by  a  cathartic.  There  has  been  too 
much  looking  on  this  diseased  condition  as  the  mor- 
alist looks  on  sin — nothing  very  serious.  This  is 
why  people  speak  of  the  problem  of  the  unem- 
ployed as  a  "maladjustment,"  of  the  industrial 
body.  If  this  condition  is  nothing  but  a  maladjust- 
ment, all  that  is  needed  then  is  a  readjustment.  If 
you  are  a  mechanic  to  replace  a  piece  of  machinery 
is  easy.  But  industry — labor — is  something  more 
intricate  than  a  machine.  With  these  facts  in  mind 
let  us  approach  as  well  as  we  can  the  solution  of  this 
vital  problem. 

( I )  Know  the  Condition — discriminate  is  the 
first  thing.  Probe  deep  into  the  social  and  indus- 
trial folds,  and  find,  if  possible,  the  cause.  Dis- 
criminate between  the  real  unemployed — the  man 
who  has  been  compelled  by  conditions  he  could  not 
control — to  be  idle,  and  the  other  men  who  do  not 
want  work,  the  vagrant,  and  the  incapable.  For  one 
I  would  advocate  strongly  that  Government  be  giv- 
en full  power  to  deal  with  the  criminal  classes,  the 
vagrants,  and  the  incapables  according  to  their  con- 
dition. The  incapables  from  whatever  cause  should 
be  cared  for  by  the  state.  If  it  is  sickness,  mental 
weakness,  and  all  such  states,  let  the  Central  Gov- 
ernment provide  institutions  for  those,  where  they 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         83 

shall  be  wisely,  firmly  and  well  provided,  with  the 
object,  if  possible,  of  restoration.  Separate  places 
should  be  provided  for  such,  and  if  in  any  way  able 
they  should  be  made  to  work.  No  pauper  stamina 
should  be  attached  to  such  a  place.  The  vagrant, 
the  gentleman  who  will  not  work,  and  he  who  will 
only  work  at  casual  jobs,  should  be  handled  by  the 
law,  and  their  labor  be  made  remunerative.  If  un- 
manageable their  punishment  should  be  a  harder 
form  of  labor.  They  should  be  by  themselves,  un- 
der an  impartial  and  strict  supervision.  There 
should  not  be  favoritism  nor  politics.  The  "col- 
ony" with  all  modern  improvements  should  be  used. 
An  opportunity  for  training  should  be  uppermost, 
leading  to  the  highest  possible  citizenship,  and  in- 
dependence. Every  inducement  for  self  control 
should  be  held  forth.  The  moral,  and  semi-mor- 
al criminals — the  criminal  by  heredity,  and  in 
fact,  the  weak-minded  vicious  should  be  segregated 
and  treated  as  criminals.  Just  punishments  should 
be  meted,  with  suitable  work  and  training.  Recla- 
mation should  be  the  watchword,  and  watchaction. 
When  any  such,  show  a  possible  cure,  they  should 
be  brought  before  a  body  of  citizens  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  Court,  with  expert  and  other  testi- 
mony for  a  decision.  Such  people  should  not  be  al- 
lowed their  liberty  only  after  a  certain  time,  and  a 
rigid  proof.  The  power  of  pardon  and  release 
should  not  be  granted  to  any  executive  of  a  state, 


84  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

nor  a  single  judge.  If  our  present  courts  cannot 
handle  the  cases  without  overcrowding,  a  new  spec- 
ial court  should  be  formed  by  the  legislature.  These 
cases  would  be  better  under  the  care  of  the  Federal 
Government. 

England  of  late  years  has  in  part  adopted  this 
plan  of  discrimination,  and  thus  has  made  much 
easier  the  solution  of  the  problem. 

Begin  to  create  anew  at  the  very  lowest  or  first 
step.  This  means  starts  with  the  Child.  First  of 
all,  the  children  of  these  submerged  classes,  all  of 
them,  should  be  controlled  by  the  State.  As  such 
a  guardian,  the  State  should  provide  institutions 
of  training  well  equipped,  and  well  guarded  as  to 
the  rights  of  the  inmates.  Some  will  say, — "Such  a 
plan  will  overtax  the  people,  and  the  means  to  do 
the  work  will  be  hard  to  find."  But  is  the  reclaim- 
ing of  a  large  number  of  our  fellowmen  from  no 
fault  of  their  own,  in  many  cases,  not  of  greater 
value  than  money?  At  first  until  the  adjustment  is 
complete,  there  may  be  some  hardship,  but  where 
do  you  meet  with  any  curing  process,  without  any 
suffering?  Most  of  these  institutions  should  be 
made  self-supporting.  And  besides,  when  all  the 
burdens  of  militarism  will  be  removed,  as  they  will 
with  the  close  of  this  European  war,  the  vast  ex- 
pense that  went  to  keep  up  such  vast  armed  camps 
should  be  well  used  to  train  men  for  manhood  and 
citizenship.    Then  with  a  higher  manhood,  the  ex- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         85 

pense  of  our  criminal  courts  should  be  reduced  to  a 
minimum.  I  say  again — is  not  a  higher  citizenship 
in  the  children  of  the  vicious,  and  dependables  of 
greater  value  than  dollars?  By  a  wise  provision  of 
law  and  management,  the  expenses  of  this  plan, 
could  be  made  very  small  indeed.  After  these  chil- 
dren have  passed  through  the  grades,  let  them  have 
— suitable  to  their  talents, — a  technical  training, 
thus  they  are  self-supporting. 

Industrial  training  for  the  young  is  one  of  the 
best  keys  to  unlock  this  problem  of  the  unem- 
ployed. Such  institutions  should  be  provided  and 
placed  in  the  best  locations  for  pupils  and  for  train- 
ing. If  not  entirely  controlled  by  the  state  they 
should  be  under  its  strict  supervision.  Manual 
training  in  our  present  schools  is  a  material  help, 
but  this  does  not  meet  the  demand.  Such  training 
should  be  compulsory  and  strictly  enforced.  Chil- 
dren who  are  not  taking  kindly  to  the  upper  grades 
of  school  work  should  be  placed  in  these  training 
schools.  The  higher  courses  of  such  schools  should 
be  technical  and  practical  as  trade  schools.  Gradu- 
ation from  these  schools  should  entitle  the  gradu- 
ate to  a  good  remunerative  position.  For  a  certain 
time  after  graduation,  reports  by  such  graduates 
should  be  sent  in,  so  often  to  the  state,  of  the  pro- 
gress and  behavior  of  such  a  student.  Such  action 
should  not  savor  of  any  spy  element.  Then  these 
technical  schools,  should  be  so  conducted,  and  kept 


86  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

up  to  date,  that  when  any  young  or  middle  aged 
man  is  not  employed,  they  can  daily  put  in  so  much 
time  in  the  school.  Every  inducement  should  be 
offered  the  students,  so  they  will  become  willing 
co-operators,  yet  law  should  be  back  of  the  whole. 
Then  in  this  connection,  we  would  urge  the  advisa- 
bility of  raising  the  age  for  the  regular  school  work, 
as  it  now  prevails.  It  should  also  be  made  compul- 
sory on  parents,  any  parents,  their  children  cannot 
leave  school  before  the  full  age,  to  accept  odd  jobs 
of  any  kind.  Permitting  children  of  school  age  to 
accept  these  jobs  injures  the  labor  market,  and  is  a 
far  more  serious  injury  to  the  boy.  In  doubtful 
rendezvous,  wherever  they  are  found,  who  makes 
up  the  noisy  crowds,  smoking  cheap  cigarettes, 
drinking  and  carousing?  Is  it  not  the  boy  or  boys 
who  were  allowed  to  leave  school  before  they 
should,  to  accept  these  jobs?  It  is  a  fact  of  experi- 
ence, that  unskilled  boy  labor,  unfits  him  for  any 
work  when  he  becomes  a  man.  Unquestionably 
many  things  boys  are  permitted  to  do,  injure  them 
permanently  in  their  character,  and  unfit  them,  even 
for  unskilled  labor,  as  at  these  times,  and  by  these 
jobs,  seeds  of  idleness,  and  irresponsibility,  are 
sown  in  their  nature.  A  large  percentage  of  these 
kinds  of  boys  are  found  amongst  and  swelling  the 
number  of  the  unemployed.  Boys  and  parents 
should  not  simply  be  warned  of  the  dangers  of  these 
jobs,  but  they  should  be  prohibited  to  take  them  up. 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         87 

To  meet  the  conditions,  provision  should  be  made 
to  train  the  boys.  We  understand,  there  is  such  a 
provision  by  the  Post  Office  Authorities  of  Eng- 
land. Then  there  are  rich  individuals,  knowing  the 
dangers  of  the  situation,  who  are  meeting  them. 
We  have  also  a  reason  to  believe,  public  opinion  is 
getting  ready  for  such  an  action.  Principal  Sadler 
advocates  this,  when  he  says — "that  employers,  in- 
cluding government  departments,  manufacturers; 
commercial  firms,  retail  tradesmen,  and  employers 
of  young  domestic  servants,  should  be  placed  under 
statutory  obligations  to  allow  young  persons  of  less 
than  seventeen  years  of  age,  who  are  in  their  em- 
ployment to  attend  courses  of  physical,  technical, 
and  general  instruction  for  four  hours  a  week,  at 
any  rate  during  the  winter  months,  at  times  of  day 
when  the  pupils  are  not  too  tired  to  profit  by  the 
teaching."  Canon  Barnett  when  alive  advocated 
an  act  of  Parliament  to  be  passed,  "Which  will  com- 
pel employers  to  get  for  every  young  person  in  their 
employ,  a  weekly  certificate  of  attendance,  at  these 
evening  classes  in  each  week."  Germany  twenty 
years  ago  adopted  a  plan  of  this  kind.  The  Report 
of  the  Minority  of  the  Poor  Law  Commissioners  in 
England  contain  these  words,  "We  think  that  there 
would  be  many  advantages  in  such  an  amendment 
of  the  Factory  Acts  and  the  Education  Acts  as 
would  make  it  illegal  for  any  employer  to  employ 
any  boy  at  all  in  any  occupation  whatsoever  below 


88  The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed 

the  age  of  fifteen ;  or  any  youth  under  eighteen  for 
more  than  thirty  hours  per  week;  coupled  with  an 
obHgation  on  the  employer,  as  a  condition  of  being 
permitted  to  make  use  of  the  immature  in  industry, 
to  see  that  the  youth  between  fifteen  and  eighteen 
had  his  name  on  the  roll  of  some  suitable  public  in- 
stitute giving  physical  training  and  technical  educa- 
tion; and  an  obligation  on  the  boy  to  attend  such  an 
institute  for  not  less  than  thirty  hours  per  week." 
"Blind  alley"  employments  should  be  absolutely 
prohibited.  Every  boy  and  girl  should  be  prepared 
for  a  future  remunerative  career,  and  Government 
should  make  it  compulsory.  The  apprenticeship 
method  is  one  of  the  "more  excellent"  ways  to  meet 
this  condition.  As  child  labor  competes  with  man 
labor,  and  prevents  the  employment  of  qualified 
men,  such  should  be  prevented  in  every  form. 

This  will  lead  us  to  see  what  to  do  with  Woman 
and  Child's  Labor,  as  a  solution  of  our  problem. 
It  is  true,  that  child  labor  is  the  result  of  the  Mod- 
ern Revolution  of  Industry,  yet  we  are  not  blind  to 
the  fact  of  its  dangers.  And  we  are  not  blind  to 
the  fact  that  at  one  time  there  was  no  child  labor 
problem.  If  it  was  so  once,  why  it  cannot  be  again  ? 
Child  labor  being  so  engrafted  on  our  industrial 
life,  will  make  it  hard  to  eradicate  at  once,  yet  our 
modern  Christian  Civilization  should  not  tolerate 
it  any  longer.  Provided  the  change  cannot  be  pro- 
duced at  once,  let  it  come  by  degrees,  and  educa- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed  89 

tional  provisions  made  to  lessen  tiie  evil  as  quickly 
as  possible,  by  taking  care  of  the  submerged  chil- 
dren in  our  industrial  centres,  and  our  large  cities. 
Let  institutions  be  formed  and  built,  and  play- 
grounds provided.  Let  not  the  child,  any  child,  be 
a  street  waif.  Proper  surroundings  should  be  pro- 
vided where  the  child  can  enter  into  the  right  stream 
of  true  life.  As  the  pay  received  by  the  child  for 
his  labor  is  so  small,  and  most  of  it  as  a  rule  spent 
on  medical  aid,  I  say  child  labor  should  be  absolute- 
ly stopped.  As  a  solution  of  the  problem  of  the 
unemployed,  it  is  vital  the  state  should  prohibit  such 
a  labor,  and  this  absolutely.  To  say  the  pittance 
gained  injures  the  support  of  the  family,  is  only 
an  effort  at  drawing  the  wool  over  the  eyes  of  the 
well-meaning,  but  thoughtless,  so  they  will  not  see 
the  grabbing  hand  of  the  selfish  employer.  As  many, 
men  are  kept  out  of  employment  by  child  labor  and 
as  the  gain  goes  to  the  employer,  there  will  be  no 
hardship  to  any  poor  family  as  a  net  result.  So  I 
say  again — stop  child  labor.  I  would  say  the  same 
as  to  JVoman  Labor,  especially  those  won\en  who 
are  married.  I  speak  now  from  the  simple  stand- 
point of  solving  the  problem  of  the  unemployed. 
In  this  essay  we  have  no  right  to  dwell  on  any  oth- 
er point.  There  is  a  moral  demand  in  our  favor, 
there  is  also  a  civic  demand.  All  voices  combine, 
to  call  for  the  same  action.  Woman  contributes  to 
uphold  cheap  labor.     She  competes  with  man,  the 


90  The  Problem  of  thi   Unemployed 

natural  breadwinner,  and  because  she  works  cheap, 
she  throws  out  of  work,  man.  And  the  net  gain  of 
earnings  to  keep  a  family  Is  but  a  pittance.  What 
earnings  are  secured  are  more  than  lost  In  the  keep- 
ing from  work,  men.  In  this  case  again,  what  gain 
there  might  be  goes  to  the  employer,  because  it  is 
cheap  labor.  Industry  In  every  case  should  contrib- 
ute to  higher  citizenship,  and  it  should  not  enrich 
the  employer,  at  the  Impoverishing  of  the  State 
and  its  citizens.  A  partial  solution  of  our  problem. 
Is  secured  by  prohibiting  woman  labor,  especially 
the  married.  Let  Industry  employ  the  husband, 
and  pay  him  proper  wages,  so  there  will  be  no  false 
allurements  to  the  mothers  to  neglect  their  home 
duties,  and  demoralize  themselves,  and  their  chil- 
dren. You  will  ask,  "What  about  widows,  and  the 
unmarried?  My  answer  as  a  partial  solution  of 
our  problem  Is  this — if  the  widows  have  children 
under  17  years  old,  the  state  should  provide  so  the 
widow  can  be  at  home.  The  State  of  Oregon  (U. 
S.),  has,  in  a  partial  way,  taken  this  step.  The 
failure  in  Oregon  is,  that  politics  is  allowed  too 
much  free  hand.  Then  again,  the  aid  given  is  not 
well-protected.  Widows  because  of  their  cupidity, 
are  using  the  aid  as  a  means  of  enrichment.  These 
women,  every  opportunity  they  can  get,  work  at  a 
good  pay,  and  leave  their  children  to  take  care  of 
themselves.  When  State  provision  Is  made  it  should 
be  large  enough  to  cover  the  need,  and  so  well 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         91 

guarded,  and  protected  that  neither  politics  nor 
cupidity  can  take  an  advantage.  Again  all  forms 
of  labor  by  single  women  should  be  conducted  in 
connection  with  Unions,  or  supervised  by  the  State. 
To  us  Americans  such  a  supervion  might  be  nasty  to 
the  taste.  But  such  is  the  vast  and  dangerous  char- 
acter of  unemployment  that  even  women  should  be 
brought  under  union  control.  By  this  supervision 
a  provision  can  be  made,  to  secure  an  insurance  for 
each  individual  against  sickness  and  unemployment. 
Such  an  arrangement  should  be  compulsory  by  law. 
And  such  provisions  should  be  well  guarded  against 
misuse.  Even  hard  as  the  workers  of  the  Sweat- 
ing System  were  to  handle,  the  Anti-sweating 
League  finally  secured  the  desired  result.  Let  us  al- 
ways remember  this — Choke  the  natural  support  of 
families,  and  you  murder  the  home;  coin  into  indus: 
trial  profits  the  vitality  of  the  child  and  the  woman, 
you  undermine  society  and  ruin  our  citizenship. 

To  bring  the  individual  to  be  an  important  ele- 
ment in  the  solution  of  our  problem,  the  only  way 
is  by  Education  and  the  improvement  of  their  envi- 
ronment, even  from  childhood.  Let  the  individual 
be  educated  in  the  higher  principles  of  manhood, 
citizenship  and  labor.  As  to  labor  we  need  a  better 
training  in  its  principles  and  object.  Even  the  un- 
skilled laborer  should  be  taught  there  is  something 
nobler  in  his  work,  than  simply  the  few  cents  an 
hour  he  gets  as  pay.  There  is  as  much  selfishness 
of  its  kind,  in  the  workman,  and  often  more,  than 


92  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

in  the  man  who  employs  him.  The  laborer  should 
be  taught  that  in  God's  plan,  and  education  of  the 
world,  he  plays  as  important  a  part  as  the  multi- 
millionaire, and  the  professor  in  the  University. 
When  we  secure  this,  we  are  on  the  road  to  solve 
the  problem  of  the  unemployed.  The  same  is  true 
of  Society.  Society  should  be  taught  the  royalty  of 
every  grade  of  labor.  It  should  also  be  taught  the 
need  of  justice  in  all  our  attitude  towards  the  work- 
ingman.  It  should  be  taught,  that  it  is  a  moral 
wrong  to  seek  the  lowest  prices  for  goods,  because 
this  keeps  down  our  personal  and  family  expenses. 
God  is  angry  with  everyone  who  rides  on  the  sweat 
of  his  fellow  man,  to  the  goal  of  affluence,  whether 
it  is  in  withholding  wages,  or  help  to  keep  down 
wages  by  buying  and  patronizing  a  market  thriving 
on  the  starvation  of  the  citizens. 

Now  we  are  face  to  face  with  the  question — 
How  can  we  handle  Competition  between  men  and 
machinery  so  as  to  solve  the  problem  of  the  unem- 
ployed? We  are  here  facing  a  delicate  point.  As 
this  competition  is  the  soul  of  progress,  how  can  we 
handle  it  without  injuring  progress?  In  reference 
to  the  competition  by  Machinery,  Labor  Unions 
have  greatly  solved  this  for  us.  They  have 
controlled  the  use  of  machinery  in  such  a  way, 
as  to  be  an  aid  to  labor.  Then  we  say, 
control  the  competition  in  men  by  controlling 
the    reserve    of     labor.       Readjust     the     labor 


The  Problem  of  the   Unemployed  93 

market  in  such  a  way  as  to  prove  that  the  whole 
field  is  under  the  control  of  intelligence  and  justice. 

Immigration  comes  under  the  same  category. 
Take  the  demand  and  the  methods  of  immigration 
entirely  from  the  hands  of  the  employer  of  cheap 
labor,  and  the  great  transatlantic  Steamship  Com- 
panies. Let  the  Government  by  diplomacy  control 
the  activities  abroad  of  the  agents  of  the  parties 
who  reap  the  greatest  profits.  Let  the  healthy  de- 
velopment of  the  country  alone,  control  the  demand 
for  emigrants.  Let  severe  punishments  and  long 
terms  of  imprisonment  hedge  our  immigration 
laws,  and  keep  out  politicians. 

Industrial  Disputes  of  whatever  kind,  should  if 
possible,  be  prohibited,  and  if  not  possible,  their  re- 
currence and  danger  should  be  minimized.  Aus- 
tralia, and  her  sister  colonies,  have  bravely  met 
these  difficulties,  and  their  efforts  have  been  very 
successful.  I  now  refer  to  the  Wages  Boards  first 
started  in  Victoria,  and  then  adopted  in  South  Aus- 
tralia. These  efforts  were  started  in  those  Colonies 
in  October,  1896.  Then  we  find  the  Industrial  Ar- 
bitration Act  of  New  Zealand  passed  in  1894.  Eng- 
land adopted  in  part  these  plans,  and  passed  the 
Trade  Boards  Act  of  1909.  Anyone  wishing  to 
see  the  full  treatment  of  these  movements,  and  their 
effect  may  do  so  by  consulting  good  books  on  la- 
bor problems,  and  by  the  study  of  the  various  acts. 
Also  No.   I,  2,  3,  4  Bulletins  and   126  and   155 


94  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

(Nos.)  of  the  Bureau  of  Labor  (U.  S.)  for  this 
and  various  other  important  points.  Whoever  will 
do  so  will  find  that  many  of  the  difficulties  have 
been  met,  and  an  excellent  basis  for  the  solution  of 
our  problem  has  been  established. 

The  Anti-sweating  difficulty  was  coped  with 
heroically  by  Sir  Charles  Dilke  and  coworkers. 
Their  efforts  were  more  for  the  control  of  the  Sys- 
tem than  its  extirpation,  but  they  have  blazed  the 
way  to  show  us  how  to  deal  with  this  feature  of  our 
problem.  In  our  opinion  such  a  system  should  be 
destroyed,  as  it  is  a  blot  on  our  civilization.  But  the 
next  best  thing  is  to  control,  and  get  out  of  it,  the 
best  we  can.  This  effort  already  referred  to  has 
also  enabled  us  to  see  how  the  lowest  unskilled  labor 
can  be  handled,  as  also  much  of  women  employ- 
ment. Among  the  Sweated  Workers  of  England  in 
the  past,  there  was  no  organization  of  any  kind.  It 
was  found  Trade  Unions  were  hard  to  sustain 
amongst  them,  as  also  the  other  unskilled  workers. 
After  many  efforts  with  the  Sweated  Workers,  fin- 
ally the  Anti-Sweating  League  was  started  in  Eng- 
land, backed  by  the  influential  paper  the  "Daily 
News."  Other  influential  men  and  women  stood 
by  it,  and  especially  Sir  Charles  Dilke.  The  leaders 
of  the  movement  secured  a  Sweating  Exhibition  in 
London.  They  also  held  a  conference  in  Guild- 
hall, London.  Sir  Charles  Dilke,  introduced  a 
bill  in  parliament  to  control  the  situation.     This 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         95 

bill  was  framed  on  the  plan  of  the  Wage  Boards 
law  of  S.  Australia.  Matters  greatly  improved 
from  that  time  to  this,  thus  proving  the  most  de- 
plorable situation  can  be  controlled. 

Decasualization,  by  its  advocates,  is  claimed  to 
be  a  very  good  remedy  for  unemployment.  By  the 
term  is  meant,  "that  all  the  irregular  men  from 
each  group  of  similar  employers  should  be  taken  on, 
from  a  common  centre,  and  that  this  centre  should 
as  far  as  possible,  concentrate  employment  upon  the 
smallest  number  that  will  suffice  for  the  work  of 
the  group  as  a  whole ;  that  successive  jobs  under  dif- 
ferent employers  should  as  far  as  possible  be  made 
to  go  in  succession  to  the  same  individual  instead  of 
being  spread  over  several  men,  each  idle  half  or 
more  than  half  his  time.  This  may  do  away  with 
chronic  poverty,  but  I  am  too  unacquainted  with  its 
practical  working  to  advocate  it  as  a  solution  of  the 
problem  of  the  unemployed.  There  may  be  merits 
in  it  to  warrant  at  least  a  thorough  trial. 

Another  way  to  solve  the  problem  of  the  un- 
employed is — the  introduction  of  Profit-Sharing. 
By  profit-sharing  we  mean,  an  agreement  entered 
into  by  employer  and  employees,  which  provides  the 
workman  will  receive  a  share  of  the  profits  fixed  in 
advance  of  the  actual  output.  This  share  of  the 
profits  does  not  do  away  with  wages. 

Some  noted  employers  and  works,  have  adopted 
the  plan,  and  in  many  cases  its  workings  has  been 


96  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

good.  One  of  the  most  noted  in  this  matter  was  the 
late  "Golden  Rule"  Jones,  once  a  Mayor  of  To- 
ledo, O.  This  method  involves  no  radical  change 
in  the  wage  system.  It  is  the  method  of  mere  using 
the  total  product  of  industry,  and  thus  benefit  em- 
ployer, and  employee.  It  elevates  the  moral  atmo- 
sphere of  such  works  by  elevating  the  moral  of  the 
workman;  it  creates  a  higher  sense  of  responsibil- 
ity; and  makes  for  better  co-operation,  and  success. 
It  is  not  a  panacea  for  unemployment,  but  mater- 
ially aids  in  preventing  unemployment,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  firms  and  men  adopting  it, 
will  materially  cut  down  the  number  of  the  unem- 
ployed. It  has  already  attained  quite  a  success  in 
solving  difficulties,  and  thus  lessen  unemployment. 
Another  movement,  making  for  this  end  is  that  of 
Stock-ownership.  Such  a  movement  is  increasing 
in  favor  in  the  United  States.  It  is  not  free  from 
objectional  features,  but  by  making  the  method 
more  perfect,  these  will  disappear.  Then  a  step  in 
the  same  direction,  is  that  of  Labor  Copartnership. 
This  means,  "the  equal  partnership  of  labor  with 
capital  ...  a  substantial  and  known  share  of 
the  profit  of  a  business  belongs  to  the  workingmen 
in  it,  not  by  right  of  any  shares  they  may  hold  .  .  . 
but  simply  by  the  right  of  the  labor  they  put  in  the 
business.  This  confers  on  the  employee  a  right  to 
vote  in  the  conduct  of  the  business."  Whatever 
tends  to  create  responsibility,  creates  a  higher  mor- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         97 

ale,  and  such  a  state  in  itself  is  bound  sooner  or  lat- 
er to  help  solve  our  problems.  As  a  partial  aid  we 
welcome  all  such  movements.  As  to  the  place  of 
Poverty,  in  causing  unemployment,  we  say,  what- 
ever aids  in  reducing  poverty  aids  in  the  same  act 
in  solving  the  problem  of  the  unemployed. 

Sickness  as  it  affects  unemployment  should  be  re- 
duced to  the  minimum,  and  if  possible,  eradicated. 
Much  of  this  can  be  done  by  demanding  sanitary 
buildings  and  surroundings  to  work  in,  and  the 
segregation,  or  non-employment  of  the  tubercular. 
As  a  disease  tuberculosis  causes  a  larger  number  to 
fall  into  the  line  of  the  unemployed  than  any  dis- 
ease. The  way  in  the  meantime  to  solve  this  dif- 
ficulty of  labor  is  Insurance  against  the  condition. 
It  is  proved  conclusively,  by  the  history  of  labor  or- 
ganizations, that  the  prosperity  of  all  labor  organ- 
izations, depend  on  the  general  industrial  prosper- 
ity, so  laboring  men  should  do  their  best  to  place 
themselves  in  the  best  condition  at  such  times,  and 
especially  to  strengthen  their  own  organizations, 
and  the  state  should  co-operate.  The  proof  is  not 
far  to  find  of  the  advantage  of  every  insur- 
ance method  that  can  be  used.  These  should 
contain  benefits  against  sickness,  and  unemploy- 
ment. For  these  benefits,  workingmen  should  com- 
bine, and  place  their  best  men  in  charge  of  their  in- 
terests. It  is  a  very  happy  fact  for  every  one  to 
know  that  the  British  Labor  Unions  are  becoming 


98  The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

every  year,  more  and  more  alive  to  this  necessity  of 
providing  Insurance  against  their  various  possibili- 
ties of  loss,  especially  sickness,  and  unemployment. 
They  also  provide  such  means  against  strikes,  and 
other  labor  troubles.  The  sad  fact  in  the  United 
States  is  they  are  far  behind  in  this  matter.  A  few 
years  back  we  find  77  British  Unions  paid  unem- 
ployed, sick  and  accidents  benefits.  Besides  its  di- 
rect helpfulness  and  benefit,  there  are  collateral 
helps.  Thus  we  hold  that  Insurances  are  of  vital 
help  to  solve  the  problem.  Years  ago  Germany 
saw  this  and  took  advantage  of  it.  Their  Compul- 
sory Insurance  System  is  the  most  far  reaching  in 
the  world,  though  the  British  is  more  advantageous 
in  many  respects.  All  the  Systems  of  insurance 
against  unemployment,  which  have  had  any  suc- 
cess have  been  worked  through  Trade  Unions,  of 
workpeople  engaged  in  the  same  industry,  and 
working  together.  This  would  in  order  to  make 
its  provision  general  necessitate  a  union  for  every 
trade.  But  good  as  the  Unions  have  been  in  this 
matter,  there  are  certain  objections  to  a  General 
Insurance  by  Trade  Unions.  Government  should 
guard  carefully  all  such,  and  really  Government 
should  take  up  the  matter.  Certain  points  should 
be  carefully  watched  in  providing  for  these  noble 
helps  to  solve  labor  problems.  A  scheme  should 
be  devised,  demanding  equal  contributions  from, 
and  paying  equal  benefits  to  workpeople  who  are 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed         99 

sure  to  be  frequently  unemployed,  and  those  who 
are  not  likely  to  be  often  "out  of  a  job."  Yet  of 
course  in  proportion  to  the  money  paid  into  the 
fund.  But  the  more  fortunate  should  be  willing 
within  certain  limits,  to  help  their  less  fortunate 
brothers,  by  bearing  a  share  of  the  assessments. 
Tariffs  and  contributions  should  be  so  arranged  as 
to  meet  the  various  demands.  Then  there  should 
be  safe  guards  against  illusing  the  benefits.  Trade 
Unions,  and  especially  the  British  Unemployment 
Insurance  Act,  have  such  a  plan.  They  require 
men  in  receipt  of  out-of-work  benefit  to  sign  daily, 
the  vacant  book  at  some  time  that  falls  on  nonnal 
working  hours.  As  the  modern  laws  of  England, 
dealing  with  this  important  subject  are  so  good,  I 
would  recommend  their  study,  especially  those  parts 
dealing  with  sickness,  unemployment,  etc.  Also  the 
German  and  Australian  laws.  Many  of  these  can  be 
secured  from  our  Bureau  of  Labor.  These  laws,  as 
yet,  are  the  most  practical  efforts  at  the  solution  of 
the  problem  of  unemployment.  The  problem  of 
unemployment  is  solved  in  part,  by  these  means. 
They  provide  help  when  most  needed,  without  any 
taint  of  charity.  They  keep  the  workman  from 
falling  into  that  poverty  that  undermines  his  fu- 
ture; his  independence  is  upheld;  and  he  does  not 
need  to  be  in  the  army  of  the  unemployed. 

Supply  and  Demand  another  source  of  difficulty, 
should  be  solved  by  a  better  adjustment  of  the  La- 


lOO        The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

bor  market.    Labor  Exchanges  with  their  adjuncts, 
when  they  are  generally  and  properly  worked,  will, 
in  large  measure,  correct  this  great  difficulty.    The 
adjunct  we  call,  "The  Departments  of  Maintenance 
and  Training."     This  section  on  adjunct  cares  for 
the  household  of  the  men  who  are  waiting  for  em- 
ployment.    They  also  train  even  the  men,  in  what 
they  are  lacking.     Thus  they  are  kept  from  idle- 
ness.   Thus  when  such  men  are  employed  they  are 
better  fitted.     This  Is  part  of  the  Government  In- 
surance  plan,   against  unemployment,   established 
in  the  year  1909,  by  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exche- 
quer— Mr.  D.  Lloyd  George.  The  work  of  the  Ex- 
changes are  to  ascertain  and  report  the  surplus  and 
shortage  of  wages  In  every  section.     In  fact  they 
are  to  act  as  clearing  houses  for  Labor.    They  are 
to  unify  and  be  the  heart  of  the  labor  market.  They 
are  also  to  dovetail  casual  and  seasonal  employment 
so  as  to  secure  continuous  work  for  those  who  are 
chronically  underemployed,  and  to  make  accessible, 
work  for  the  unemployed.     England,  in  the  year 
1909,  passed  the  Labor  Exchanges  Act.    This  act  is 
modeled  after  the  German  bureau^  but  its  provi- 
sions are  considered  better.     These  Exchanges  are 
under  the  control  of  the  state,  and  thus  they  become 
an  unit  in  combating  unemployment.     In  Germany 
institutions  of  the  same  kind  are  under  the  care  of 
municipalities,  or  other  associations.    The  English 
Act  divides  the  country  into  eleven  districts,  with 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed        loi 

an  inspector  at  the  head  of  each  district.  This  offi- 
cer is  called — divisional  inspector.  These  Ex- 
changes are  classified  by  the  letters  of  the  alphabet, 
and  this  according  to  the  population  of  the  towns, 
e.  g.  Class  A  embraces  towns  of  100,000  and  over, 
B  towns  between  50,000  and  100,000  population. 
The  purpose  to  have  these  Exchanges  so  located  is 
that  they  will  control  the  whole  country.  They 
are  also  connected  together  with  quick  means  of 
communication.  The  number  of  these  Exchanges 
soon  ran  up  to  the  hundreds,  and  they  are  placed 
wherever  needed.  In  the  larger  cities  there  are  to 
be  branch  offices,  with  the  same  communication.  In 
the  smaller  towns  there  are  sub-offices,  and  the 
whole  system  connected  with  telegraph  and  tele- 
phone communications.  Then  every  village  Post 
Office  will  keep  a  register  of  vacancies  and  of  un- 
employed. These  Exchanges  will  act  as  clearing" 
houses, — the  one  in  London  being  the  chief.  The 
amount  of  work  already  done  more  than  justifies 
their  establishment.  These  Exchanges  have  at  their 
command  a  loan  fund  which  is  to  be  used  to  help 
workmen  to  travel  to  where  they  can  get  work.  The 
Exchanges  are  cared  for  by  an  Advisory  Commit- 
tee, equally  divided  in  their  members  of  Trade  Un- 
ions, and  employer's  representatives.  The  Ex- 
changes are  well  protected  by  law  as  to  the  conduct 
of  their  work,  and  their  main  object  is  to  bring  em- 
ployer and  employee  together.    While  these  places 


I02        The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

may  not  end  unemployment,  they  will  give  more 
and  more,  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  labor  mar- 
ket; ease  friction;  help  employers  and  employees  to 
find  the  supply  they  need  in  work  and  men.  They 
will  also  help  in  dealing  with  the  underemployed 
and  the  casual  worker,  I  look  upon  the  establish- 
ment of  these  Exchanges  as  one  of  the  best  methods 
to  solve  the  problem  of  the  unemployed. 

Fluctuations  can  be  controlled,  and  thus  we  come 
nearer  the  solution  of  our  problem.  To  do  so,  we 
must  get  an  intelligent  control  of  the  industrial  mar- 
ket; a  full  co-operation  between  manufacturers, 
merchants,  and  workingmen.  To  meet  the  seasonal 
fluctuations,  the  only  thing  that  can  be  done  is,  to 
get  the  men  to  take  up  work  they  can  do  during  the 
inclemency  of  the  weather.  Exchanges  and  Unions 
can  provide  for  this  dovetailing.  Industrial  train- 
ing for  the  younger  and  all  who  are  capable  to  take 
it,  for  certain  hours  of  the  day,  during  the  months 
outdoor  work  cannot  be  carried  out,  will  in  time 
bring  about  the  desired  result.  The  other  alterna- 
tive is  ample  insurance  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
families.  When  men  are  not  working  they  should 
be  compelled  to  attend  these  technical  schools. 
Proper  wage  rate  will  materially  aid.  Cyclical  fluc- 
tuations are  harder  to  solve.  They,  very  much  de- 
pend on  the  state  of  the  market ;  on  capital  and  raw- 
material,  with  the  demand  for  the  goods.  What- 
ever controls  these,  directly  controls  cyclical  flue- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed        103 

tuations.  If  we  could  put  our  finger  on  what  causes 
good  and  bad  times  we  may  then  go  far  to  solve 
our  problem.  True  providence  has  much  to  do 
with  these  things,  and  thus  far  conditions  are  not 
under  our  control,  but  man  also  has  something  to 
do  with  it.  To  meet  the  condition  all  we  can  offer 
now  is  insurance  and  technical  training. 

How  to  control  IF  ages,  is  hard  to  answer,  yet  the 
right  answer  is  vital  in  solving  our  problem.  So 
many  features  enter  into  this  part  of  our  subject, 
that  enhance  the  difficulties  to  offer  an  answer.  Here 
we  are  sailing  between  two  extremes.  One  is  the 
improvidence  and  waste  of  the  workman  and  his 
family,  the  other  is  the  large  wealth  manufacturers 
as  a  rule  accumulate  from  the  business,  and  the 
small  part  of  this  that  reaches  the  workman.  Lay 
aside  brain  power,  thrift,  business  ability  and  other- 
facts  favorable  to  any  manufacturer,  give  the  re- 
turns due,  then  honestly  face  the  question  — "does 
the  workman  receive  from  the  work  what  he  should, 
by  right  and  justice?"  He  does  not  receiv^e  what  he 
should  receive.  Then  one  way  to  solve  the  problem 
of  the  unemployed,  from  the  standpoint  of  wages 
is  to  advance  these  reasonably  according  to  the 
profits  from  the  business.  This  means  that  the  em- 
ployer will  receive  what  is  due  his  enterprise,  raw 
material  value,  wear  and  tear,  transportants,  value 
of  his  time,  interest  due  his  capital.  Let  the  wages 
then  be  according  to  what  the  profits  will  yield. 


I04        The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

But  summing  up  this  delicate  matter,  it  will  be  set- 
tled right,  when  men  enter  business  and  conduct  it, 
from  right  principles.  When  they  are  moved  by  a 
desire  to  further  civilization,  and  their  fellowmen, 
and  not  selfish  monetary  profits,  then  the  wage  ques- 
tion will  settle  itself.  The  Short  Hour  question, 
and  the  plasticity  of  labor,  will  disappear  with  the 
perfecting  of  the  Labor  Exchanges. 

The  last,  and  most  certain  solution  we  shall  name 
is  this — place  industry  and  labor  on  a  proper  Chris- 
tian plane.  Let  both  be  controlled  by  the  principles 
of  the  Christ. 

This  subject  being  important  and  large  enough 
to  be  a  subject  of  separate  essay,  we  shall  only  indi- 
cate few  points  to  make  our  meaning  intelligible. 

By  this  we  do  not  mean  that  we  stop  with  the 
"Golden  Rule."  By  the  principles  of  Christ  I  mean 
the  full  orb  of  truths  taught  by  Christ,  as  to  the 
relation  of  man  with  man,  in  the  presence  of  God. 
We  would  designate  this  orb  by  the  words  Love, 
and  Brotherliness.  The  door  that  opens  to  this 
temple  of  Mystery  (the  unemployed)  is  swung  on 
the  pivot  of  Love  placed  there  by  Christ,  and  the 
doorkeeper  is  Brotherliness.  This  door  will  not 
open  only  by  following  Christ's  direction.  Let 
the  Church  try  it.  Everything  between  the  two 
extremes  of  human  means,  for  centuries,  have  been 
tried,  but  have  failed.  Why,  then,  not  try  the  way 
of  the  Christ,  and  do  it  honestly.     These  two  ex- 


The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed        105 

tremes  are  Slavery  and  Socialism.     It  is  gratifying 
to  know  the  churches  are  beginning  to  awake  right- 
ly to  their  duty.     What  a  noble  testimony  to  the 
fact,  that  Christianity  is  not  dead,  was  the  united 
action  of  1,000  churches  in  New  York  City,  last 
winter,  when  they  came  to  the  help  of  the  unem- 
ployed.    But  it  is  not  relief  simply,  that  will  settle 
this  matter.     The  condition  of  the  unemployed,  is 
a  disease  that  cannot  be  cured,  only  by  the  Balm  of 
Gilead.    This  Balm  must  be  applied   to  all  our  In- 
dustrial relations,  and  especially  the  employer  and 
the  employee.    The  conception  of  business  must  be 
entirely  changed,  and  Its  status  raised,   from  the 
heathen  to  the  Christian  Standard.     Men  must  be 
trained  to  know;  that  when  they  go  to  business; 
when  they  establish  a  factory,  they  do  so,  not  di- 
rectly for  the  dollar  profit;  a  selfish  desire  for  big 
returns  In  profits,  but  for  the  higher  development 
of  humanity.     The  workman  of  every  grade  must 
know,  he  is  "working  as  unto  the  Lord."  The  Infi- 
dellc  will  smile,  but  we  who  believe  have  the  best 
of  the  laugh.     This  Is  a  sentence  that  should  be 
graven  In  the   rock  and  blazed   from  the   house 
tops,  "When  men  will  go  Into  business  for  the  com- 
mon good,  and  not  for  selfish  purposes,  then  there 
will  be  no  problem  of  the  unemployed."     Christ 
taught  that  wealth  must  be  used  rightly  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  right  social  order.     When  this 
Is  properly  carried  out,  wages  will  be  so  regulated. 


io6        The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed 

as  to  be  satisfactory.  The  employer  will  know  the 
workman  is  not  a  piece  of  machinery,  and  the  work- 
man will  understand,  the  employer  is  not  a  cow  to 
be  milked.  Christ  thunders  against  everything  that 
makes  every  and  any  man  selfish  and  unsocial.  The 
only  way  to  avoid  disobedience  to  Christ  is,  let 
every  church,  and  every  member,  carry  out  heroi- 
cally all  that  Christ  has  a  right  to  look  for  and  ex- 
pect. When  Love  and  Brotherliness  will  be  heroi- 
cally practiced,  then  the  problem  of  the  unemployed 
will  be  solved  perfectly. 


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